This document discusses boundary issues that mental health professionals may face. It covers maintaining appropriate social and sexual relationships with clients, as well as issues around bartering and gift giving. The conclusion emphasizes that having a personal or intimate relationship with a client is considered unethical in the US and can damage the client-counselor relationship and harm client progress.

1. Boundaries Issues
Alma Amaral, Ana Ramos, Julio Davalos, Leticia Galindo
University of Phoenix
Ethics and Values
BSHS 355
Beatriz Zayas
December 19, 2013

2. Agenda
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Introduction
Social Relationship
Sexual Attraction
Bartering
Gift Giving
Conclusion
Reference

3. Introduction
• Mental health professionals must learn how to ethically and effectively
manage personal and professional relationships. For example how to deal
with power, a basic part of most professionals, managing boundary issues,
and striving to avoid the misuse of power. As professionals we need to think
through all the ethical dimensions in wide range of boundary concerns. To
include and provide proper therapy to a friend, or relatives friend and
avoiding becoming emotionally or sexually involved with a client or former
client

4. Social Relationship
Having a social relationship with a client can affect the professional relationship.
Positive
• In some culture having a social
relation with the professional helps
the client.
• It can help the client to open up to
the professional relationship.
Negative
• It may harm the client.
• Interfering with decision on the
professional relationship.
• Personal growth.

5. Sexual Attraction
definition
• Attractiveness on the basis of
sexual desire.

6. Bartering
definition
• Exchange for other goods or
services without using money.

7. Gift Giving
• In some cultures, gift giving from a client simply comes from gratitude. But
before receiving a gift, the professional must analyze the gift, for example,
what type of gift it is, why the client is giving this gift, and also observe the
behavior the client is presenting. He or she could simply be showing
gratitude, or may have something else in mind when giving the gift.

8. Conclusion/Summary
• Although in some cultures it may be considered normal or beneficial to a
client needs to have a personal relationship or even an intimate one, in the
United States it is not just considered unethical it can have a very negative
effect on your client and destroying any progress made or damaging the
client counselor relationship.

9. Any Questions?

10. References
• https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/DownloadL
ist.aspx?assetMetaId=58baa0cc-9037-4c60-b7db3d3ad36d607e&assetDataId=eb8d0ef6-5a22-462b-a522-10a7a7871aef
• Corey, G., Schneider Corey, M., & Patrick, C. (2011). Issues and
ethics in the helping professions (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage