Saturday marked the first class of my Ethics class. In honor of that, I want to use this space to talk a bit about the teaching of ethics. What is the best way to teach aspiring counselors the ins/outs of ethical care of their counselees. Here are some options:
1. Teach the “bible” of ethics–the APA code of conduct. This code lists both aspirational values (e.g., beneficence) as well as standards (don’t engage in romantic activity with your clients…). Following this method, one would try to teach how to interpret and apply a limited document to limitless possibilities.
2. Values/virtues application. Determine the values that ought to operate and then develop a set of questions that can provide answers that will shape one’s answer as to what to do. Example: Will this action harm my client? Who benefits from my actions the most? Would most other counselors agree with my actions? Am I competent to deliver this therapy?
3. Dilemma exploration. Give students tons of worst-case scenarios to educate them on the many ways they can get into trouble.
4. Calculate risk. B. Bennett et al (2006, The Trust) have a book out that tries to calculate risk: (Patient risk characteristics x practice context x disciplinary consequences) divided by therapist factors.
What do I do? Yes, a mixture. But I like the application of virtues along with educating students regarding the gold standard (APA code) as they will be held to that in any legal proceeding. While I do use dilemmas I find that they tend to paralyze students and cause them to focus on limiting risk rather than on what is good, right, etc. Dilemmas focus on building fences rather than on evaluating what virtues or vices rule the heart and how to best help the counselee. Bennett’s calculation of risk is good in that it gets the counseling thinking about multiple factors in the ethical decision, but may be a bit forced in that it tries to objectify matters outside of a virtue system. Interestingly, they do admit that much of what makes a therapist ethical is a matter of what is inside them.
Musings on Faith and Psychology 
I just completed an Ethics class for counseling. One of the things I found helpful was comparing and contrasting the AACC code of Ethics with the ACA code of Ethics.
What I learned is that the AACC expects Christian counselors to live to a higher standard. This quality is something that comes from within the Christian counselor. The ACA expects the counselor to act professionally. This professionalism is an external standard. I think this hits on your idea of teaching virtues. To me, virtues come from within. You either are or are not a virtuous person. However, you can live ethically without ever having a internal transformation.