Your therapist should not be a close friend because that would create whats called a dual relationship, something that is unethical in therapy. For example, it is unethical for a therapist to treat a close friend or relative. It is also unethical for a therapist to have a sexual relationship with a client.
Can therapist and client be friends?
Client-therapist friendships can be unethical, according to codes of ethics from many bodies that govern therapists, including the American Psychological Association [APA]. By becoming friends with a client, a therapist can risk disciplinary action from governing bodies or losing licensure.
There arent official guidelines about this for therapists. You might be wondering if your former therapist would even be allowed to be your friend, given how ethically rigorous the mental health field is. The answer is technically yes, but its generally inadvisable.
Can therapists be Facebook friends with clients?
At some point, a person youre working may send you a friend request through Facebook. Theres no ethics code that explicitly forbids accepting such a request, but guidelines from the American Psychological Association and experts in mental health ethics recommend against having clients as Facebook friends.
A 2016 study, for example, found that most patients do indeed look up their therapists online. As a result, the majority of therapists have taken steps to limit the information that is available about them online. Examples include adjusting their social networking settings to private.
Can a therapist adopt a client?
An additional and rather rare form of dual relationship includes adoption, when a therapist legally adopts a former child client who was put up for adoption. Multiple relationships also occur when a client refers a friend, family member or colleague to therapy with the same therapist that he/she works with.
Can I hug my therapist goodbye?
If a therapist were to hug the patient on such an occasion, the risk is certainly less than it would be during a regular hugging “regimen.” Likewise, adverse inferences that others may draw should certainly be minimal. Touching in and of itself is not illegal.
How long before a therapist can date a client?
(a) Psychologists do not engage in sexual intimacies with former clients/patients for at least two years after cessation or termination of therapy.
How do therapists set boundaries?
How to Set Boundaries with Clients in a Therapeutic Setting: A Guide for New TherapistsLimit Self-Disclosure. Establish Rules. Do Not Treat Friends and Family. Do Not Engage in Romantic or Sexual Relationships with Clients. Avoid Social Media Interactions With Clients. Avoid Meeting in Public Places.More items