ABSTRACT
Deontology consists in a set of professional rules of appropriate behavior, specific for each profession. Deontology is thus collective and mandatory. The main points of the various codes of deontology for psychotherapists insist upon respect for the client, also urging the practitioner to avoid abusing his/her power, ideologically, politically, financially, spiritually, emotionally, or sexually. A psychotherapist must also scrupulously respect confidentiality during the sessions; he can always be prosecuted for violating professional secrecy— besides specific exceptions, provided for by the law. The psychotherapist knows about the distance between a fantasy and actually acting it out, and so he will not feel too concerned. The psychotherapist is then required by law to report any case of physical or sexual violence that he may have been privy to, during the course of his practice. The humanistic psychotherapist does not hesitate to get involved, when appropriate, but always with self-control.
