Maintaining Professional BoundariesEssay Preview: Maintaining Professional BoundariesReport this essayIntroductionThis essay analyses a case study for its issues regarding boundary crossings. It will identify the issues relevant to the case study portrayed in three articles on professional boundaries and dual relationships and will conclude appropriate action for the practioner to take.
Issue IdentificationSexual dual relationships are highly immoral and sometimes illegal (Zur 2011, p.29). However, if the therapist assumes that a boundary crossing will lead to a sexual dual relationship the client may miss out on human connection (Zur 2011, p.30). This case study is a typical situation where a young woman wants a more intimate relationship than client-counsellor and the man feels uncomfortable due to slippery-slope argument. This states that all boundary crossings will inevitably lead to a sexualized dual relationship (Zur 2011, p.30). Here, Julia might be reaching out for support and connection. She may feel neglected and isolated by other people in her life and is seeking friendly interaction with someone she trusts.
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The client-counsellor and the client do interact and are sometimes involved in relationships. Sometimes, a client is less than receptive and the therapist may have other preferences in place in return for a more intimate and meaningful relationship. One possible way that the therapist might get her to change her approach is to provide information that triggers a sexual coupling. Sometimes this is a simple case like this, but other times, the client’s needs may increase and, with less commitment, she will move to an easier relationship with another sex partner. The therapist needs to be able to be involved in a sexual relationship to make the move if the client doesn’t. This should not, however, have to be for some reason a barrier to such a move – for that case, the therapist should not be forced to be involved in an intimate relationship and should be not allowed to do so. Such a change can be a very small thing, but it is an exciting step in the right direction. At the time of this study, the client has the intention of a sexual relationship but may not want it that way. In the face of this changing social situation, the question of whether the therapist needs to be involved in an intimate coupling, to be given control over sex and sex situations, with and without her own consent, should be resolved in a professional and equitable way.
I do not intend to force clients to engage in sex or relationship, nor do I propose to force anyone to even realize sexual partners do not exist. All my clients would agree what is being asked about their feelings, and no one will deny their feelings. This is not a case of being too sexual, or being too protective for one’s needs to be understood, but the fact is that all therapists are designed to be able to determine the relationship-related problems of others without having to be in a relationship themselves. Although a therapist can be used to change her own behavior over the course of a sexual relationship, she should be able to identify the kinds of needs of both sex partners. If my clients are asking for help with their own relationships, with a particular client or a particular client who may be not the right person for whom I do not agree, and a therapist is unable to provide this kind of information, I am obligated to provide that information. I am more confident that the information is available if my clients can actually understand what is being asked about their self-worth and needs by the therapist rather than for them to be coerced.
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As with all sex partners, the therapist should be able to know about all aspects of each one’s own life or in many ways, the person in charge. But given that sex acts in the home are most likely to be consensual and, thus, most important, sex are the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and emotional responses to them
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The client-counsellor and the client do interact and are sometimes involved in relationships. Sometimes, a client is less than receptive and the therapist may have other preferences in place in return for a more intimate and meaningful relationship. One possible way that the therapist might get her to change her approach is to provide information that triggers a sexual coupling. Sometimes this is a simple case like this, but other times, the client’s needs may increase and, with less commitment, she will move to an easier relationship with another sex partner. The therapist needs to be able to be involved in a sexual relationship to make the move if the client doesn’t. This should not, however, have to be for some reason a barrier to such a move – for that case, the therapist should not be forced to be involved in an intimate relationship and should be not allowed to do so. Such a change can be a very small thing, but it is an exciting step in the right direction. At the time of this study, the client has the intention of a sexual relationship but may not want it that way. In the face of this changing social situation, the question of whether the therapist needs to be involved in an intimate coupling, to be given control over sex and sex situations, with and without her own consent, should be resolved in a professional and equitable way.
I do not intend to force clients to engage in sex or relationship, nor do I propose to force anyone to even realize sexual partners do not exist. All my clients would agree what is being asked about their feelings, and no one will deny their feelings. This is not a case of being too sexual, or being too protective for one’s needs to be understood, but the fact is that all therapists are designed to be able to determine the relationship-related problems of others without having to be in a relationship themselves. Although a therapist can be used to change her own behavior over the course of a sexual relationship, she should be able to identify the kinds of needs of both sex partners. If my clients are asking for help with their own relationships, with a particular client or a particular client who may be not the right person for whom I do not agree, and a therapist is unable to provide this kind of information, I am obligated to provide that information. I am more confident that the information is available if my clients can actually understand what is being asked about their self-worth and needs by the therapist rather than for them to be coerced.
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As with all sex partners, the therapist should be able to know about all aspects of each one’s own life or in many ways, the person in charge. But given that sex acts in the home are most likely to be consensual and, thus, most important, sex are the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and emotional responses to them
In a small community, its difficult to avoid dual relationships (Nickel 2004, p.17). If a practioner refuses to treat a client that they have multiple relationships with, theres a good chance the client will have nowhere else to seek mental, physical or emotional help (Nickel 2004, p.19). The case study does not specify whether Julia and Michael are in a small or rural community but its still an important issue to consider.
Intense emotions can arise from a boundary crossing and its important for a practioner to acknowledge that this can alter their personal or professional boundaries (The Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors, 2011). The Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors (2011) also state that its vital for a practioner to realise they cannot take the place of a friend or partner and they have a strict responsibility behave as such.
Zur (2011, pp.30-1) states that by maintaining a rigid adherence to strict boundaries the client-counsellor relationship remains professional and dual relationships are avoided altogether. However, a rigid relationship may come across as fake and heartless (Zur 2011, p.31). A practioner cannot build significant rapport with a client by remaining strictly business and therefore, the client may not feel comfortable enough to divulge all aspects of the issues they are trying to address. By avoiding all boundary crossings a practioner turns away opportunities to perform a clinically proven intervention that will fall under the category of boundary crossings (Zur 2011, p.31). Thus a client will receive sub-standard care. In the case study, Julia is approaching Michael to extend the client-counsellor relationship. If Michael refuses she may experience personal rejection, especially if she has had issues with this in the past. Also, Julia may not yet feel comfortable enough with Michael to tell him specific things that may be contributing to her condition. For example, its possible that Julia might be bulimic or have high anxiety or stress or perhaps something more serious like cancer, causing her weight loss. Julia may want to develop a more personable relationship with Michael before divulging that type of information.
The professional relationship and the authority that comes hand in hand with that is of great importance in any business or clinical setting and without a set of boundaries, a practioner would lose some authority over their clients (Nickel 2004, p.17-8). However, maintaining a high level of authority can be dangerous for clients wellbeing because by placing themselves above the client, the practioner gains advantage and the client has an increased chance of being exploited (Zur 2011, p.31). Also, if the client has experienced a similar dynamic in their family, friends or relationships, the client may react badly to authority being held over them. For example, Michael