According to a major study, the most common complaint made by clients against licensed counselors, psychologists, and social workers involved violations of boundaries (Phelan, 2007). In most cases, when a licensed therapist was disciplined by an ethics board, it was due to the therapist engaging in an inappropriately intimate relationship with a client. Other types of boundary violations included entering into other forms of dual relationships with clients, such as business relationships or friendships.
Use the Internet, your online library resources to research ethical boundaries with clients. While reading the 2005 ACA Code of Ethicsfrom your module readings, pay particular attention to "Section A: The Counseling Relationship," in which you will find code "A.5. Roles and Relationships With Clients." Based on your research, respond to the following:
Discuss at least three ways a human services provider might demonstrate poor boundaries with a client. Provide examples to illustrate each form of boundary violation.
How could such boundary violations negatively affect a client? Cite information from your text and/or from the ACA Code of Ethics.