Questions

Answers should be at least 100-175 words and reflect critical thought. Whenever possible, please try to relate the course content to real-world applications from your work experience. Be sure to cite all sources as well.

1. Discuss some of the things you would want to think about before entering into a dual relationship. Are there any such relationships you'd be comfortable entering? Any you would want to avoid no matter what?

2. What are some of the differences between the ACA Code of Ethics and state laws on multiple relationships? For example, the ACA Code of Ethics states that a counselor and client relationship is acceptable after five years, yet some state licensing laws contend this is never acceptable.

3. Your chapter and article readings this week address the use of therapeutic touch. What are your personal thoughts and observations on the appropriateness of touch in the therapeutic relationship?

4. I don't believe there would ever be an acceptable time to enter into a relationship with a client/former client, or anyone that they were knowingly close to. I know doing research for previous questions I ran across differing views from state to state on whether dual relationships were permitted, or after a certain grace period they were, while other states had more stringent statutes. I personally believe it would just be wrong, because like you said it seems like a misuse of power and authority. Your thoughts?

5. As i am reading this chapter, i was thinking about some of the situations that might occur in my small community.

a) I sometimes play "drop-in" volleyball which is that individuals in the community pay a small fee to help pay for the gym. We never know who exactly who is going to show up. So my though here is that what happens if i go to play volleyball and it happens that my counselor goes that same night. We were both unaware of each other presents. How would someone handle this since no consent form was signed?

b) In my community there are times when the counselors will put things together pertaining to presentations or events. When i was seeing a counselor he invited me to attend this due to being new to town and looking for fun things and new people. However, he told me about it he never stated any boundaries that could happen. Should have the counselor stated some boundaries in this case?

6. Some boundary issues arise because of social workers' genuinely altruistic inclinations. The vast majority of social workers are dedicated, caring, and principled people who would never knowingly exploit clients. Ironically, social workers who are extraordinarily kind and humane may unwittingly foster challenging dual and multiple relationships by attending clients'life-cycle events, giving clients home telephone numbers for emergency circumstances, or giving isolated clients gifts at holiday time.

On occasion, such altruistic gestures may be misinterpreted by clients and trigger boundary confusion. It is important to reiterate that not all dual and multiple relationships are unethical. Some are and some are not. The challenge in social work is to use good judgment, consistent with current ethical standards, to distinguish between the two. Fellow classmates, what are your thoughts?

7. As with dual relationships, what constitutes harmful boundary violations according to one theoretical orientation may be considered helpful boundary crossings according to another orientation. Like dual relationships, boundary crossings are normal, unavoidable and expected in small communities such as rural, military, universities and interdependent communities such as the deaf, ethnic, gays, etc. I personally don't I would be comfortable entering into a relationship with transgender individuals. This is one I would definitely attempt to avoid. Would this be considered as a bias reaction?

8. According to the text, the ACA Code Of Ethics does not prohibit or, for that matter, even directly address touch. With the obvious exception of Standard A.5.a., which prohibits sexual or romantic relationships with clients, one must think through the various ethical implications of the ACA Code of Ethics regarding touch. Avoiding harm to the client (termed nonmaleficence and addressed in Standard A.4.a.) is probably as close as one can come to the issue at hand. Classmates, what are your thoughts?