Concerns About Colleagues: Re-envisioning Our Ethical Responsibility

Psychologists bring concerns about their colleagues to the attention of Colleague Assistance Committees and State Ethics Committees on a regular basis. In fact, there is a well-established literature and a variety of resources that describe how psychologists can approach a colleague about whom they have concerns. However, despite the ready availability of instructions about how one might proceed, experience suggests that these concerns are difficult to address and rarely acted upon. The goal of this article is to recontextualize caring for one’s colleagues as part of a set of professional and ethical responsibilities, and to discuss reporting these issues as an act of compassion as well as an ethical imperative.