A counselor holding a doctoral degree in an unrelated field may:

The correct choice emphasizes the ethical guidelines and regulations that govern professional practices in counseling. A counselor with a doctoral degree in an unrelated field must not claim that their degree is relevant to their counseling status or practice because doing so can mislead clients about their qualifications and the nature of their expertise.

This principle is rooted in the standards intended to protect the integrity of the counseling profession, ensuring that clients receive services from adequately qualified practitioners. Misrepresentation could lead to a violation of ethical standards in counseling, creating compliance issues with licensing boards and trust issues with clients.

In contrast, the other options suggest various ways a counselor might use their unrelated degree. However, leveraging a degree in this manner would likely also be seen as misleading. For instance, while using the degree for general marketing might seem acceptable, it risks implying that the counselor possesses relevant qualifications that could benefit clients in the context of counseling, which is not accurate in this situation. Likewise, claiming expertise based on the degree's subject matter or representing it in relation to counseling practice also crosses ethical boundaries, as it can create misconceptions regarding the professional's actual competencies in the field of counseling.