Exploring Dual Relationships and Boundary Crossings in Ethical Clinical Practice

Course overview

Dual relationships in behavioral health practice refer to any situations where multiple roles exist between a therapist and a client. Examples of dual relationships include when the client is also a student, friend, family member, employee, or business associate of the therapist. Boundary crossings and violations may occur in situations where dual relationships exist. While boundary crossings may be unavoidable and harmless in certain situations, such as when the clinician and client both live in a small community and see each other away from the therapeutic setting, boundary violations are those that are harmful and exploitative.