Person-Centeredness, Ethics, and Stories of Risk

ABSTRACT

Storytelling can be a powerful way to reflect on the ethical issues that emerge in clinical practice. This article uses two stories by speech-language pathologists to explore how notions of person-centered practice may influence speech-language pathology practice. Then these stories are examined in relation to definitions of person-centered practice and speech pathology code of ethics to discuss the ethical issues, challenges, and risks that these stories raise. Moving toward more person-centered ways of practicing will require speech-language pathologists to be open to the real lives of their clients with communication and swallowing disabilities. It may also require speech-language pathologists to be open to their own vulnerabilities as well.

KEYWORDS

Person-centered practice - ethical practice - narrative - risk

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0 Names of people and places have been changed.