Boundaries and dual relationship are never clear or black and white is the responsibility of the counselor to find ways to deal with the situation. Creating a process to evaluate the positive and negative affect of dual relationship and boundary crossing could have on the counselor’s license or the treatment of the client can become key component. The views and belief of ones mind become altered and improve with educational courses and examples from people that once dealt with certain situations. Boundary Issues and Dual RelationshipsBoundary issues and dual relationships are highly recommended to avoid during a careers in counseling, but does happen when at least expected. The main purpose of a counselor is to assist the client to over come a negative behavior or emotional stress without adding more to the stress or to the behavior.
Boundary issues and dual relationship are common occurrences that happen due to the amount of time the client and counselor spend together. Boundaries can be cross due to the client miss seeing the professional intent of the counselor.To avoid any ethical dilemma the counselor should follow all guidelines and regulation set by licensing board. American Counseling Association states in the code of ethics that there should be a minimum 5-year period before a counselor and a former client or family, friend of client being any sexual or romantic relationship.
Following regulation set by the American Counseling Association will decrease the chances of ethical violation the behalf of the counselor. The counselor should also evaluate positive and negative outcomes of entering into a dual relationship with a current and formal client.Entering into a dual relationship with a client the positives should over weigh the negative affects the relationship will have on the client’s life. When a counselor–client nonprofessional interaction with a client or former client may be potentially beneficial to the client or former client, the counselor must document in case records, prior to the interaction (when feasible), the rationale for such an interaction, the potential benefit, and anticipated consequences for the client or former client and other individuals significantly involved with the client or former client (Code of Ethics, 2005).
Creating a series of criteria to protect the counselor and client when boundary-crossing or dual relationship occurs can be vital tool to deal with the possible outcomes of the relationship. Before a counselor enters into a dual relationship or believes boundaries have been crossed the counselor should evaluate the following. * Legal implication (regulation, law, licensing) * Treatment implication * Positive outcome * Negative outcome Examples how to apply criteria into certain situations In a situation were client and counselors path cross after years from last session of treatment.Both parties begin a professional relationship were both parties enter into a business. The counselor needs to look into the possible implication that the relationship could have on his or her license or how can the relationship have legal implications. Deciding if the business relationship could trigger any negative behaviors that once where treated by the counselor or could the relationship cause more harm.
Evaluating both positive and negative outcomes of the relationship of enter into business should be considered when choosing to keep or terminate the relationship.The second example were the criteria can be used to determine if the relationship violates any ethical codes could be in the situation of the counselor become romantically involve with a member of the clients friends or family. The counselor needs to review regulation involved when dating a client’s family member or friend. Under ACA code of ethics it states that dating any family member or friend of a client prior to 5-years from the last session is prohibited. The counselor needs to decide if the relationship is worth pursuing even when it violated ACA code of ethics.
Is the relationship going to have impact on the treatment of the client or is the relationship going to influence how the treatment is given. Does the positive outcome greater then the negative affect the relationship is going to have on the client’s treatment. When dealing with boundary crossing and dual relationship the counselor needs to used their educational background and licensing regulation when pursuing to keep the relationship or correct boundaries with the client.Development of Ethical Thinking Entering into Professional Counseling Program changed the way I saw ethics, and how it influences a persona career path. During the eight-week course it helped me understand that ethical dilemmas are far from black and white.
The course opened my eyes to how important documentation and good record keep will be on my daily obligations when I become a LPC. Understanding that the lack of good record keeping could have ethical implication in licensing and in my career path.Counselors ensure that records are kept in a secure location and that only authorized persons have access to records (Code of Ethics, 2005). The course gave insight how the lack of security when keeping record can have in a ethical standards. The course also helped me understand that one values and personal belief could have a negative affect on the treatment of our future clients. Developing way to suppress our personal belief and values while treating clients is key component to avoid ethical violations.
Counselors are aware of their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors and avoid imposing values that are inconsistent with counseling goals (Code of Ethics, 2005). Understanding our educational background and once scope of practice is key to avoiding certain violation regarding ethical conduct. During my research I found out many of the complaints filed against counselors were connected in practicing out of their scope. The course taught me to only counsel within areas ones is trained and licensed in. Counselors should refer clients when they believed the client would benefit from a new counselor.I used to believe that when people refer clients to other people was because of laziness or they did not care.
My view in referring client change now I understand that referring a client is only to improve their outcome. Conclusion Learning to deal with dual relationship and boundary crossing will be a normal task for professional counselors due to the nature of the jobs. Setting a process that help find proper ways to over come the situation will be important to limited the affect that it could have on the clients treatment.Referenceshttp://www.counseling.org/Resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf
