Ethics and marketers - A big business at the cost of who?

There is a market for everything, so I do not know why I am surprised that there is a marketing process for therapists as well. I am contacted by a variety of advertisement opportunities. I am contacted for free suppers where I soon see that it is to recommend a spa like rehab facility to the States at quite a cost, etc.... Recently I was contacted for radio. I was not interested. The caller named off some celebrity shows and I recognized one American court room show or was it two? The area code of the caller was from Ottawa. Would I like to be on radio? “No, but thank you.” I keep repeating that phrase throughout the marketing scheme. At least I think it is. Then it comes. “Don’t you want to advertise?” “I do ok.” I respond. “Is this marketing?” I ask. I am assured that it is not marketing, however, I would be a client. I was right, me thinks……. So this morning as I was taking time out with my morning coffee, I was wondering what I should write in todays weekly blog. Should I write that indeed I had to buy the light bulbs made in China at Home Depot and that surprise surprise the bulbs were miniature though the box exterior had big bulbs depicted? Now they are on my tree and around the fireplace and I am where I have started. I need big bulbs, so now what? Do I have to open the boxes, like a woman was doing to see what was inside? No, I will not do that, but I will return them in future. Why did I not this time? Because of time? Do I write that Christmas is approaching and there are people out there who find Christmas so sad that they cannot stand to be alive? If that is you, please get help. Why give up? I assure you that there is help. Do I talk about pedophiles and creepy men who prey on young girls and boys on the internet? Do I write about one of my seminars? There is so much to write about, but ethics is on my mind. The college is on my mind. If I ever ever ever go on any type of show, it would be because I want to. It would not because I want to reach a target for hundreds of clients, for more money. It would be for something good for people. Now I know that I would be prepared for my own questions. This has been a bit disappointing. I suppose all this marketing is because clients are not covered by OHIP. With the amount of sadness out there and how it effects the health of people, that is too bad. Maybe because this is my third career I can examine this from an ethical perspective very clearly. This was certainly not on any exam question or was it? I cannot advertise endorsements. I was surprised that there was such a question, but why? I cannot accept a fee for referring. Too bad physicians do. Where are their ethics? So if there are marketers out there reading my blogs, do me a favour. Don’t ask me out to fine dining so I will maybe recommend your spa to a client. Don’t ask me to go on a radio show with pre questions so, God forbid, I not embarrass my self with something thrown at me. If I could be that easily in discomfort perhaps I should not be on radio?????? Don’t contact me to spend more of my money to advertise with you. I advertise in the community paper once a month, because it is in my community. I am on the web. I drop off my cards with Specialist spelled wrong because I have one thousand cards. This is my retirement career. I do this because I want to. I pace myself so I can be the best I can be, so I can best help my clients and remain happy myself. I have a fee of 100. a fifty minute session, when I can charge much more if the economy can bare it and it can. This fee is affordable for people even if they see me less. So, please stop calling me or coming to see me. In other words, don’t contact me, I’ll contact you. I would love to be able to put these people out of business with hefty fines for misrepresentation. Maybe with time and enough exploitation someone will consider this unethical and do something about it. I am not going to send anyone to a spa. Clients should always pick their own locations. Recommendations should always be based on the quality of care and not aesthetics. Care for clients should never be a profit scheme. What do you think? Coming soon, a two day seminar with the Ontario branch of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists - my home.