What is the first step in Cottone's Model for ethical decision-making?

In Cottone's Model for ethical decision-making, the first step involves gathering information from all parties involved in the situation. This is crucial because a thorough understanding of the context, perspectives, and potential implications is necessary before making any ethical decisions. This step ensures that the counselor considers all relevant factors and viewpoints, which is essential for making an informed and fair resolution.

Assessing the nature of the relationships, engaging in interactive reflection, and negotiating among the concepts are all important components of the ethical decision-making process. However, these steps follow the initial information-gathering phase. Doing so helps counselors to navigate the complexity of ethical dilemmas while maintaining an ethical and client-centered approach to decision-making. This foundational step ultimately supports more effective and ethically sound outcomes in the counseling process.