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Counselor Ethics and Practices

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PCN-505 Counselor Ethical Boundaries and Practices Denise I Ratliff Professor RaTonya Bennett March 30, 2016

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Introduction
Ethics, boundaries and potential dual relationships are important for counselors to comprehend. Understanding the code of ethics and understanding the many facets of counselor /patient scenarios that can arise during a professional relationship. Dual relationships is a gray area in which there is a very paramount question that the counseling professional need to address and that is; whether a dual relationship is necessary. Simply put, impractical dual relationships can be charged with unnecessary jeopardy. Certain situations may arise in which a dual relationship could be hard to avoid and may have its challenges. It is important that any counseling that is given regardless of the relationship should be safe and secure.

Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships
Part A – Decision-Making Model and Counseling Examples Engaging in dual relationships is risky business in being a counseling professional. Ethical issues related to professional boundaries and dual relationships can be complex because, dual relationships and the issues that follow are multi-faceted. “If a dual relationship is exploitative, whether it is before, during, or after a professional relationship, it should be avoided” (ACA, 2015). It is important that the counselor acknowledge the fine distinctions between crossing boundaries that lay in the difference between what is unintentional and what is deliberate. Despite entering into an awkward situation it is possible to make the best of it. For example: rural communities often have a limited access to health and mental healthcare providers. “In rural or small towns, the possibility of simultaneous personal and professional involvement is high if not inevitable” (Brownlee, 1996). “The

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