Dual Relationship and Boundaries Paper
Dual Relationships and Boundaries Paper
Donna Lee, Rachelle Jones, and Jamie Owens
Psych 545
March 14, 2011
Dr. Marc Miller
Dual Relationships and Boundaries Paper
Most major professional codes of ethics have a policy or rule against dual relationships (Gottlieb, 1993). Dual relationships exist when a professional acts at the same time or sequentially in two roles (Gottlieb, 1993). Through the course of this paper, the concept of dual relationships will be examined. Ethical issues with dual relationships will be explained as well as the clarification and analyzation of a specific dual relationship. Not to mention the explanation of challenges presented by boundary issues in professional psychology.
Define the Concept of Dual Relationships
Dual relationships in psychotherapy refer to any situation, which multiple roles exist between a therapist and a client. Examples are when the client is also a student, friend, family member, employee, or business associate of the therapist (Zur, 2010). According to American Psychological Association, as a psychologist, I should refrain from entering or promising another person, professional, scientific, financial, or other relationship with such persons if it appears that the relationship may impair me from effectively performing my duties as a psychologist, or may harm, or exploit the client (APA, 2010). It may not be possible or reasonable for me to avoid social or other non-work-related contacts; I must be sensitive to the potential harmful effects on the contact of his or her work and those clients with whom he or she deal (Reamer, 2001).
I can engage in a dual relationship whether the second relationship begins before, during, or after the social work relationship. In any dual relationships, my influence and the client’s vulnerability carry over to the second relationship. Professionals, who enter dual relationships often, rationalize their behavior, arguing that the situation is unique and that they are serving
Donna Lee, Rachelle Jones, and Jamie Owens
Psych 545
March 14, 2011
Dr. Marc Miller
Dual Relationships and Boundaries Paper
Most major professional codes of ethics have a policy or rule against dual relationships (Gottlieb, 1993). Dual relationships exist when a professional acts at the same time or sequentially in two roles (Gottlieb, 1993). Through the course of this paper, the concept of dual relationships will be examined. Ethical issues with dual relationships will be explained as well as the clarification and analyzation of a specific dual relationship. Not to mention the explanation of challenges presented by boundary issues in professional psychology.
Define the Concept of Dual Relationships
Dual relationships in psychotherapy refer to any situation, which multiple roles exist between a therapist and a client. Examples are when the client is also a student, friend, family member, employee, or business associate of the therapist (Zur, 2010). According to American Psychological Association, as a psychologist, I should refrain from entering or promising another person, professional, scientific, financial, or other relationship with such persons if it appears that the relationship may impair me from effectively performing my duties as a psychologist, or may harm, or exploit the client (APA, 2010). It may not be possible or reasonable for me to avoid social or other non-work-related contacts; I must be sensitive to the potential harmful effects on the contact of his or her work and those clients with whom he or she deal (Reamer, 2001).
I can engage in a dual relationship whether the second relationship begins before, during, or after the social work relationship. In any dual relationships, my influence and the client’s vulnerability carry over to the second relationship. Professionals, who enter dual relationships often, rationalize their behavior, arguing that the situation is unique and that they are serving
References: American Psychological Association. (2010). Ethical principles for psychologist. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from: http://www.proteuscoven.org/proteus/Ellen.htm. Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. (2010). Retrieved February 25, 2011, from: http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx. Gottlieb, M.C. (1993). Avoiding Exploitive Dual Relationships: A Decision-Making Model. Journal of Psychotherapy, 30(1), 41-48. Retrieved from http://kspope.com/dual/gottlieb.php Kagle, J., & Giebelhausen, P Reamer, F. G. (2001). Tangled Relationships. West Sussex, NY: Columbia University Press. Walker, R. & Clark, J. (1999). Heading off boundary problems: Clinical supervision as risk management Zur, O (2010). Dual Relationship, Multiple Relationships, Boundaries, Boundary Crossings & Boundary Violations in Psychotherapy, Counseling & Mental Health. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from: http://www.Zurinstitute, com/dualrelationships.html