Possible Sexual Misconduct in Professional Counseling

            Being a professional counselor means being professional at all times.  Each of the professional codes of ethics for the major counseling organizations require counselors to conduct themselves ethically at all times.  In this scenario, I believe the counselor has acted unethically on several occasions.  Section A.1.a of the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics (2014), clearly states the counselor’s primary duty is to respect the dignity of the client and promote their welfare.  Section A.2.a explains informed consent and provides for the freedom of clients to choose whether or not to remain in a counseling relationship with a counselor based on having adequate information about the process and the counselor (ACA, 2014).  In this scenario, the counselor has a therapeutic relationship with a family.  When an attraction develops between the counselor and the oldest daughter, I believe he has a duty to discuss it with the family as a whole.  Although he and the daughter have agreed to keep their relationship professional and therapeutic, the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC) Code of Ethics (2017) explains in Section A that family counselors consider the uniqueness of each family member while advocating for the whole family.  They also do not keep secrets from clients and keep a professional relationship with clients and Section A.8 prohibit multiple relationships with clients.

            The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Code of Ethics (2015) encourages counselors to seek counsel from their colleagues, attorneys, supervisors or others when a questionable ethical situation arises.  In this case, although the counselor and the daughter agreed to keep the relationship professional, consultation with a supervisor or other colleague may have revealed other solutions that could have led to a referral to another counselor.  Standard 1.7 forbids the abuse of power in the therapeutic relationship and counselors can sometimes be viewed as authority figures due to their unique position and the trust created in the relationship.  Establishing romantic intimacy in a counseling relationship is also not beneficial to the client and creates a conflict of interest as described in section 3.4 (AAMFT, 2015).    

            Once the family has completed counseling and the therapeutic relationship is terminated, counselors still have a duty to maintain a professional relationship with their former clients.  The scenario describes an incident when the counselor and the daughter see each other in a public place two years later.  After a brief conversation they make a dinner date for the following week.  A look at the ACA Code of Ethics (2014) section A.5.c which prohibits sexual and/or romantic relationships with former clients for at least 5 years from the last professional contact.  The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) Code of Ethics (2014) prohibit engaging in dual relationships after the termination of counseling in section 1-140-a.  Dual relationships that are always avoided are sexual or romantic relationships.  In Section A.9 of the IAMFC Code of Ethics (2017), it states, “Couple and family counselors must refrain from sexual relationships with clients, former clients, and family members of clients.”  Although the scenario does not specifically state this will be a sexual relationship, it is the duty of the counselor to not compromise his ethics and place himself in a hazardous position.

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References

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (2015). AAMFT Code of Ethics.

     Retrieved from: https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard

American Association of Christian Counselors (2015). AACC Code of Ethics. Retrieved from:

     https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard

American Counseling Association (2014). ACA Code of Ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author. retrieved from: https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard

International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors Code of Ethics (2017). IAMFC Code of Ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author. Retrieved from: https://learn.liberty.edu/webapps/blackboard