When Ethics and Politics Collide: Navigating the NASW Code of Ethics Under the Current Administration

The White House, a focal point of political power, as we explore the intersection of ethics and politics in the current administration.

Many people know that I am a clinical therapist. However, that is my job. I am, first and foremost, a social worker.

I didn’t know that was what it was initially. The realization evolved as I worked with refugees and immigrants, fell in love with different cultures and ways of life, and volunteered with people to obtain their citizenship. I had no clue that what I loved had a name: social work. It wasn’t until I began applying for jobs and realizing the need for a master’s degree that I recognized it for what it was.

Fast forward 15 or so years. It’s January 20, 2025, and I find myself glued to my television, struggling to process what’s unfolding before me. Feelings of disgust and sadness washes over me, and honestly, it lingers for weeks. As a therapist, I’m used to holding space for clients—allowing them to verbally process, sometimes letting them "word vomit" their feelings. I am honored to be there for clients working through trauma, learning new coping skills, and understanding the importance of boundary-setting, among other things. But these past few months? They’ve felt different. To sum it up in one word: draining!

In graduate school, the first course everyone takes during their first quarter is titled "Power, Privilege, and Oppression." It’s here that we really begin to dissect our own privileges, confront the biases we hold towards other communities, and recognize how oppression is woven into the fabric of our society and daily life. As someone who had traveled internationally and worked with marginalized communities, I found this class especially engaging because I could bring in real-world, firsthand examples. Another mandatory course we took was focused on ethics. I remember this course being full of complex, gray-area scenarios where we had to make decisions based on our role, the job setting, the client, and, of course, the guidelines laid out by our Code of Ethics.

The first edition of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics was introduced on October 13, 1960. It has since become the guiding principle for social workers across all practice settings, offering a framework that directs our work. Honestly, it’s been a while since I’ve sat down and read through it in its entirety. But just revisiting the Preamble had me on the verge of tears. It begins with, “The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. Social workers are sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end discrimination, oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice.”

No wonder reading this hit me like a freight train. What’s outlined in the Preamble feels far removed from what I’m seeing and experiencing in our country right now. Embracing diversity and working to end discrimination—these values seem so distant from the reality my clients and I are facing. After reading through the Preamble, I moved on to the six core values and their ethical principles. Each one might resonate differently depending on where a social worker is in their journey, but one thing is certain: revisiting these values as a reminder has never felt more necessary, especially in times of distress and uncertainty.

Value: Service

Ethical Principle: Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems.

Value: Social Justice

Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.

Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person

Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.

Value: Importance of Human Relationships

Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.

Value: Integrity

Ethical Principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.

Value: Competence

Ethical Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise.

As we continue to face constant political and social challenges, these core values ground me in my purpose and remind me why I do this work. They motivate and encourage me to show up for my clients with integrity, dignity, and care. As both a therapist and a social worker, I cannot align with the current political climate because it directly conflicts with my Code of Ethics, which prioritizes social justice, dignity, and the empowerment of vulnerable communities. This is why this election feels different—human rights are at the forefront.

The NASW Code of Ethics serves as a guiding light, like a lighthouse, and its core values continue to inspire and direct my work every day. The policies and actions I’m witnessing perpetuate harm, discrimination, and inequality—principles that go against everything I stand for as a professional.

https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English