Ravanshenasi & Din

In spite of the similarities between Islamic counseling and moral charter of American Counseling Association (ACA) on the three important issues of "confidentiality", piety", and "avoiding sensuality", there are considerable differences between them on these issues. The present paper aims at explaining these differences by comparing between these two systems. Both systems stress the importance of "confidentiality". However, "the cases of breaching confidentiality" in American Counseling Association (ACA) are more distinct than in Islamic counseling, and the American system under more conditions permits breaching of confidentiality. This paper mentions the cases of breaching confidentiality. The most important principle in Islamic counseling is "piety" and theism, while American Counseling Association gives great importance to legality. Also there are considerable differences between these two systems on the kind of sexual relation with client, observing chastity, and avoiding sensuality. Furthermore, regarding three aforementioned domains in American Counseling Association, Islam prohibits the sexual abuse of the client much more forcefully, and considers the sexual relation as illegal in case of hurting the client or counseling therapy process. Generally speaking, Islam and American Counseling Association consider "confidentiality" as one of the important components of counseling, and consider "sexual abuse" of client as illegal. Islam believes that the most important quality of a counselor is observing "piety", to which American Counseling Association pays no attention.