Values-Based psychiatric Ethics

This chapter provides a detailed argument as to why philosophical ethics is a problematic starting point for theorizing psychiatric ethics practice. Following this critique, the author reviews values-based practice (VBP) as offering a practice framework to theorize the particular domain of psychiatric ethics practice. Values-based psychiatric ethics (VBPE) is based upon VBP and focuses on the role of clinician virtue, as well as analytic and clinical skills in working with stakeholders, a “trumps-hierarchy” heuristic which identifies hidden personal and social values, as well as social power structures, and a focus on technique and immediate practical “doing” in clinical encounters. Detailed examples of application are provided.