Dual or multiple role relationships occur when therapists or other mental health professionals take on two or more roles at the same time with their clients or with someone who has a relationship with their clients. Ethical Standard 3.05 (Multiple Relationships) states the following: (a) A multiple relationship occurs when a psychologist is in a professional role with a person and (1) at the same time is in another role with the same person, (2) at the same time is in a relationship with a person closely associated with or related to the person with whom they have the professional relationship, or (3) promises to enter into another relationship in the future with the person or a person associated with or related to the person (APA, 2002, …show more content…
Relationships like this can evolve due to the student being eager to take advantage of every opportunity to interact and seek help from the professor and the professor allowing these interactions and arranging special places and times for them to interact on a daily basis. This can lead to the student and professor becoming extremely comfortable with one another, which results in a professional and personal relationship occurring simultaneously. This is a dangerous situation for both the professor and students. As a result, the professor can be at a risk of losing his job, certification, or marriage. For the student, it may be difficult to drop the class due to short staffing or limited class sections requiring the student to have to remain in contact with the professor. An incident like this can take an emotional effect on the …show more content…
1069). Ethical Standard 6.04 (Fees and Financial Arrangements) states the following: (a) As early as possible in a professional relationship, psychologists reach an agreement specifying compensation and billing arrangements, (b) psychologists’ fee practices are consistent with law, (c) psychologists do not misrepresent their fees, (d) if limitations to services can be anticipated because of limitations in financing, this is discussed with the recipient of services, (e) if the recipient of services does not pay as agreed, and if psychologists intend to use collection agencies or legal measures to collect the fees, psychologists must inform the person that such measures will be taken and provide that person an opportunity to make prompt payment (APA, 2002, p.
Mumford would be called to a meeting after the board of directors and I had met initially to discuss the unethical practice that he been performing. Although it appeared to all that the patients that he counselled or diagnosed became healthier in their actions but the facts remain that he did not follow any ethical standards for psychologists. During the board meeting, we would discuss the competence and responsibility of the professional ethics guideline on Mumford. “It is hoped that these guidelines will be of assistance when human service professionals and educators are challenged by difficult ethical dilemmas” (Woodside and McClam, 2011, p. 276). After the board members reached a mutual agreement, the meeting with Mumford would begin. In the meeting with Mumford, the board of directors would discuss his unethical act of practicing psychology without a license. According to our textbook, “psychologists provide services, teach, and conduct research with populations and in areas only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, consultation, study or professional experience” (Woodside, 2011, p. 276). Although Mumford attended college, he did not have enough credentials to hold a position as a psychologist. Concluding the meeting with Mumford and the board of directors, with lack of training and no license to
Chemical Dependency counselors have quite a few ethical dilemmas to deal with. Therapists that are in recovery may confront some even more complex dilemmas, opposed to those who are not. There is a high percentage of addiction counselors that are in recovery. In fact, 55% of 36,000 members of the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors (NAADAC) are recovering alcoholics and 21% are recovering from some other chemical dependency. This brings up two sides to counselors in recovery. "There is something about the personal experience that assists counselors to being especially attentive to the needs of the recovering client." On the other hand, counselors bringing personal experience with them are likely to raise personal/professional boundary violations. Two specific dilemmas that recovering counselors may run into are dual relationships and self-disclosure.
Understanding the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) ethical codes is an important aspect of developing one’s professional identity as a mental health counselor. More specifically, in order for a counselor to be professionally competent and ensure he/she is able to uphold ethical boundaries, it is essential that one becomes familiar with the codes. Furthermore, both ethical codes share a multitude of similarities as well as differences, including that the AMHCA code of ethics profoundly draws from the ACA code of ethics. However, it is important to note that the AMHCA code presents ethical criteria geared specifically towards mental health counselors whereas the ACA code
Throughout the second half of this semester, dual relationships have been emphasized as one of the most frequently encountered ethical dilemmas faced by behavior analysts in the field today. According to the class lectures, assigned text, and other articles that we have read, this is due to the fact that we interact with our clients and those caring for them in their natural settings. As a result, those we provide services to, and interact with, are in the places in which they feel the most comfortable, their homes or regular classrooms. This is in stark contrast to a formal office setting, which projects an atmosphere with both expected standards of acceptable behavior, and clear boundaries between client and the service provider. In an effort
American Psychological Association (APA). (2002). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. American Psychologist, 57, 1060-1073.
According to Allison L. Kramer (2016) in her “Why we can’t be friends” article, researches have observed numerous relationships between psychotherapists and their present and/ or previous clients. Boundary issues have been studied in the world of ethics and dual-role relationships with current clients are ordinary for some practitioners in their daily practice. Meaning it isn’t rare to run into dual relationships in counseling. These relationships aren’t always negative nor avoidable states Kramer. The example she used for dual-role relationships being advantageous and unavoidable was a school guidance counselor having multiple roles in the school. The counselor could also be “a coach of a sports team, thus filling both a counselor and
...verall, this could result in the behavior worsening, or a lack of trust and a break of teacher-student bond, which to me is an essential part of making an impact in a student’s lifestyle decision.
Linde, L.E., Erford, B.T., & Cheung, A. (2010). Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling. In B.T. Erford (Ed.), Orientations to the Counseling Profession: Advocacy, ethics, and essential professional foundations (pp.55-92). New Jersey: Pearson.
Ethics in the counselling and psychotherapy protects the client and the therapist involved in the therapeutic relationship and the therapeutic process as a whole; with the concepts that act as a guide for the therapists in provision of good practice and care for the client. The framework is built on values of counselling and psychotherapy; principles of trustworthiness, autonomy, fidelity, justice, beneficence, non-maleficence and self-respect, and provides standards of good practice and care for the practitioner (BACP, 2010). Ethical framework contributes to the development of the therapeutic relationship and process by assisting therapist’s decisions, and guides their behaviour and proceedings within their legal rights and duties. The ethical frame is structured on the boundaries of the therapeutic relationship and the therapists should be aware of their categories and be responsible for their forms. Monitoring and being aware of what goes on in and out of the room physically, emotionally and psychologically is primarily the duty of the therapist.
Maureen H. Miner recommends in his article that any training in ethics will be judged by the quality of ethical choices made by those who complete it. If psychologists are to be recognized as professionals who are committed to best practice, then we should take ethical training very seriously. (Miner, 2005)
In the case study of Gwen, there is one major problem presented. That problem is whether it is ethical for a supervisor to counsel his supervisee. I think that Gwen is going through the grieving process after learning about her mother’s condition and is in a vulnerable spot. She feels like she cannot continue her work with hospice patients because of personal feelings. Ken thinks that Gwen is a great therapist and does not want to see her give up. He also feels like he would be the most effective person to give Gwen counseling, because of their trusting relationship. I think that this would be a bad idea and could cross professional boundaries. The Ethical Guidelines for Counseling Supervisors strongly suggest against a supervisor entering in a psychotherapeutic relationship with supervisees. It is important to limit the possibilities of a dual relationship. Dual relationships can easily become unethical and present problems or possible harm to the client, which in this case is the supervisee. They can also create dependency or have unfavorable symbolic meanings. I also do not think it was a good idea that the counseling happened in the supervision sessions. This time should be spent on improving knowledge and helping clients. Spending most of the supervisor sessions working on personal problems could potentially harm the progress and well-being of the supervisee’s clients. My reaction to Ken blending the roles of supervisor and counselor is that it was not a good, professional, decision. He has entered a dual relationship with Gwen that could potentially cause harm to her or create a conflict of interest. Since Ken is Gwen’s supervisor, he has more power over the relationship than Gwen does. This power can easily be abused by Ken...
As a result if these ethics codes are not followed, legal action can be brought up against this counselor. Committing to clients is the first code of ethics which includes: “Primary Responsibility, Confidentiality, Dual/multiple relationships, Exploitive relationships, and counseling environments. “ Mental health counselors value objectivity and integrity in their commitment to understanding human behavior and they maintain the highest standards in providing mental health counseling services” ( https://amhca.site-ym.com/page/codeofethics). Establishing a relationship with the client opens up the floor in which she or he will be honest. S/he will be comfortable with speaking about the problem. The honesty of the client gives the counselor an ideal start of how the problem began. Under Ethic code C Assessment and diagnosis: Competent “Mental health counselors employ only
According to Syne (2006), a dual relationship occurs when people take on multiple roles in their relationships with other people. While dual relationships exists in many different aspects of our society, dual relationships between a client and counselor bring a host of challenges and opportunities for the client and counselor from an ethical standpoint. Nigro and Uhlemann (2004) explain that because of the challenges presented by dual relationships, many counselors work to avoid and prohibit them. But from an ethical standpoint, such relationships do not always negatively impact clients. As a result, dual relationships tend to be one of the top ethical dilemmas reported by therapists.
American Psychiatric Association. (2010). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. American Psychological Association (APA), Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx
Prior to the relationship building assignments, I had never written a professional thank you note to a professor or place of business. I had a pen pal throughout middle school and also wrote notes to teachers that I had built a relationship with in high school, but neither were to the same degree of professionalism as I learned to utilize in this course. My notes mainly focused on updates of how I was, how my family was, and maybe a few questions to cap off the note.