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Dual Relationship Paper

910 Words4 Pages

Dual relationships in counseling refer to any relationship between the counselor and client. These relationships can be sexual or non-sexual and are not exclusive to the client. Dual relationships include; students, family members, supervisees and friends of the client. These relationships are not always obvious at the beginning. Simply beginning to enter into these relationships or even considering a dual relationship can change the nature of the counselor-client relationship. The American Counseling Association has made it clear that concurrent sexual and professional relationships are unethical (Association, 2014). All major professional associations agree sexual relationships that occur less than two years after the professional relationship …show more content…

The balance of power between the counselor/client relationships makes the relationship highly unethical. It is the counselor duty to make sure the relationship remains ethical and professional while doing no harm to the client. This is true regardless of whether or not the client has consented to sexual conduct. Consent is not a defense for malpractice. Dual Relationship Policies All counselors must avoid dual relationships that may impair their objectivity and increase the chance of harm to the client. If the dual relationship cannot be avoided the counselor is responsible for taking the appropriate actions to reduce the chance of harm to the client. It is crucial the counselor put safeguards in place such as, consent, consultation, supervision and documentation (Hoffman, 1995). At no time should a counselor engage in sexual conduct with a client or family member of a client during counseling. It is acceptable for counselors and former clients to engage in social relationships. It is never recommended to engage in a sexual relationship with a former client. If this situation is unavoidable the counselor must follow the current guidelines set forth by the American Psychological

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For this discussion I chose to review the Hollywood Psychology Center and the Lotus Counseling Center’s client intake forms. Both centers required basic information such as name, phone number address and asked for permission to contact the client. Both centers also explained in detail the level of confidentiality that would be kept and in what circumstances information would be shared or released. This shows that both centers understand how critical confidentiality is to the therapeutic relationship (Houser, Wilczenski, & Ham, 2006) as well as having an understanding of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) code 2.1 which states counselors have a duty to disclose the limits of confidentiality to clients (AAMFT,code

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When reading the IAMFC Code of Ethics and AAMFT Code of Ethics I found that they compare significantly, much more than they contrast. Many of the principals coincide. For example, the topic of multiple relationships is one of the many principles that parallel in many codes of ethics. The IAMFC Code of Ethics encourages family counselors to “avoid whenever possible multiple relationships, such as business, social, or sexual contacts with any current clients or family members” (Section A). Similarly, the AAMFT Code of Ethics also requires that therapists “make every effort to avoid conditions and multiple relationships with clients that could impair professional judgment or increase the risk of exploitation.

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Stephanie’s situation presents an F.10., Roles and Relationships Between Counselor Educators and Students, ethical challenge. “Stephanie chooses to attend a social gathering that the students, including Geoff, were holding outside of regular working hours, and Geoff and Stephanie begin a relationship that evening;” and now, the boundaries between Geoff, the supervisee, and Stephanie, the supervisor, got blurred. According to Herlihy and Corey (2014), “ACA Code of Ethics F.3.a Extending Conventional Supervisory Relationships Counseling supervisors clearly define and maintain ethical professional, personal, and social relationships with their supervisees. Supervisors consider the risks and benefits of extending current supervisory relationships

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The code of ethics was created to protect the public and the psychologist from any abuses that are the result of mishandling a situation (Prilleltensky, 1997). Physical, financial and emotional situations are all protected within the code of ethics (Prilleltensky, 1997). There are numerous subcategories that are explained and included in the ethics code ranging from the misappropriation of funds and/or billing procedures to the events that must occur during the termination of therapy (Prilleltensky, 1997). The code of ethics has specific rules regarding conflict of interest for both the psychologist and the client (Prilleltensky, 1997). Conflict of interest can be applied to a variety of situations such as the psychologist should not treat

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Chapter 7 discusses the Issues and Ethics that come along with Managing Boundaries and Multiple Relationships. In class, we discussed the questionable idea of whether it is ethical or not to participate in multiple and dual relationships within the therapeutic relationship with your client. This type of relationship entails having any other sort of relations with the client that is outside of the boundaries of the standard professional - client relationship. When professionals participate in the occupation of different non-professional and professional roles with a client, I believe boundaries start to become blurred and crossed even when it is unintended. If I were a counselor, I would abide by the rationale that lies behind the idea of abstaining from any boundary crossing or multiple relationships that can possibly arise and involve the exploitation of the client by the unintentional use the power that exists between the client and therapist.

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Marriage and Family Therapist, and AAMFT members have an obligation to be familiar with the AAMFT Code of Ethics and its application to their professional services. Lack of awareness or misunderstanding of an ethical standard is not a defense to a charge of unethical conduct. (Caldwell, 2015) While utilizing the PAIR instrument, it important for therapist to understand while intimacy is the topic of discussion, it is important not to get involved romantically with client or client’s family members in any way. Having sexual relationships with a client(s) will violate AAMFT’s code of Ethics 1.4 Sexual Intimacy with Current Clients and Others that states sexual intimacy with current clients or with known members of the client’s family system is prohibited and code 1.5 Sexual Intimacy with Former Clients and Others that states sexual intimacy with former clients or with known members of the client’s family system is prohibited.

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The benefits of the client are first in place before those counsellors even if such fidelity is uncomfortable for them. Furthermore, they should also make every effort to make sure that clients’ expectations have reasonable prospects of being met. They have to contemplate confidentiality as an duty arising from the client’s trust. Principle of fidelity

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