Introduction
Most ordinary people and professionals from various spheres are aware of the need to keep their relationships entirely formal, not allowing any additional circumstances or connections to interfere with them. Nevertheless, it may happen that the relations between a social worker and their client become dual. In other words, when during, after, or before the professional connection, there is a relationship of exploitive nature, this duality should be avoided. Otherwise, there may appear to be numerous adverse effects on both the social worker and the client. At the same time, in certain cases, dual relationships can be advantageous, meaning that it always depends on the particular situation and its potential outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to describe a specific case of the dual professional connection between B and their client, discuss this situation and its adverse impacts and risks, and outline the possible sanctions and penalties.
The Case Demonstrating the Ethical Principle of Dual Relationships
In the case described further, the type of dual relationship is intentional and can lead to numerous negative consequences, including the deterioration of the client’s mental state. In this example, the social worker named Mr. Z belongs to the sphere of outpatient behavioral health services with a focus on trauma. He works with numerous patients who require help in facing the aftermath of their different traumas, and this process requires complete trust between Mr. Z and his clients. One of the patients is Ms. A – she receives the social worker’s support for several months after going through a sexual assault. During the period of therapy, Mr. Z and Ms. A developed a trustworthy and open connection, which eventually resulted in their relationships becoming not only professional but also sexual. The patient wanted to work through her recent trauma and thought that she could heal if she engaged in a new sexual connection with a person she trusted. While it may seem that both parties win from this situation and cannot be hurt by its consequences, this is not true, and it is ethically wrong for the social worker and the client to continue any connection, including their therapy.
Issues Associated with Boundary Violations
From the described case, it is evident that there is a specific and quite severe boundary violation. One of the most negative and impactful aspects of dual connections is a precisely sexual relationship because it can interfere with the therapy, eliminate all positive results, and deteriorate the patient’s state (Morgan, 2013). First of all, the primary problem arising from such nature of relations is the inability of the parties to continue their treatment if their sexual connection ends. It is quite uncommon for persons to save neutral relationships after finishing having romantic affairs.
As a result, Mr. Z will have to stop their therapy with Ms. A, which may lead to the second undesirable outcome. The latter refers to the deterioration of the client’s state and the need to start her journey of healing from trauma again (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 2020). Consequently, such a boundary violation can have numerous adverse impacts on the process of the treatment itself, as well as on the client and social worker individually (“Dual Relationships: An Ethical Reality,” 2018). It is impossible for the outpatient behavioral health services worker to remain impartial in the case when the relationship becomes not only business but also romantic. One of the additional problems that lead to the need to stop therapy is a decrease in trust between the patient and the therapist, as the former may become embarrassed to share their concerns.
Possible Outcomes if the Dual Relationship Continues
It is mentioned above that when the relationships become dual, it may be of vital importance to end every aspect of them. In the described case, there is probably no need to highlight the necessity of finishing the connection between Mr. Z and Ms. A because a vast number of adverse consequences appear if the relationship does not complete (Reamer, 2020). First of all, the connection between the therapist and the patient can strengthen further, making the following almost inevitable end of relations extremely painful (Morgan, 2013). Ms. A may face the inability to trust other professionals, as well as develop an additional trauma related to sexual affairs. The therapist’s reputation may suffer significantly, making it almost impossible for him to find further patients and become a successful and credible social worker with a positive image (“Dual Relationships: An Ethical Reality,” 2018). As a result, while it is still possible to eliminate the negative effects of this dual connection if it finishes quickly, it is much more challenging to do so if the social worker and the client choose to continue it.
Potential Risks for the Social Worker and the Client
Overall, as mentioned above, if this dual connection continues, there will be negative effects on both the social worker and the client. First, it may not always be evident for the latter that the nature of the relationships changed and became dual. According to Reamer (2020), since the client trusts their social worker and should feel safe with them, the risk of being hurt by this vulnerability grows. For instance, Ms. A can realize later that she did not want to engage in this sexual connection, but her weaknesses and the need to work through her trauma made her less aware. Consequently, she may feel that Mr. Z used her vulnerability for his own purposes and exceeded his authority, which ultimately can completely undermine the patient’s trust and her faith in therapy. The effects that the social worker may suffer from are also quite severe and negative (Morgan, 2013). For example, Mr. Z may face the need to finish their practice due to the inability to keep his actions and behavior entirely professional.
The Jurisdictional Regulation
It is essential to notice that client/therapist sexual relationships are criminalized in Georgia, and the outpatient social services worker can be punished for engaging in such a connection. Even though, as noticed in the state’s official documents, active consent is present in the described situation (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 2020), such a dual connection cannot happen in the relationships between a therapist and their client. It is the duty of a therapist to protect their patients’ mental health and never put them in a situation where they can be hurt. According to Georgia’s authorities, while clients “with whom the social worker has or had a clinical/therapeutic relationship are at greater risk, any relationship with a client or a former client exposes clients and former clients to a risk of exploitation” (“Title 46: Professional and Occupational Standards: Part XXV. Credentialed Social Workers,” 2020, p. 3). Consequently, sexual relationships between these two parties are forbidden, and if such a connection is suspected, an internal investigation is initiated by the social worker’s firm (“Title 46,” 2020).
Potential Penalties and Sanctions
Generally, when a sexual connection between a therapist and their patient is determined, it is the responsibility of the firm to define the severity of the case. They need to examine whether there is harm done to the client, whether there was consent, and what the effect of the relations on both the patient and the social worker is. According to governmental documents, the professional “shall be subject to disciplinary action for violations under R.S. 37:2717(A)(4) and (7)” (“Title 46,” 2020, p. 4). The social worker may need to pay a fine, pause their practice during the investigation, and end their connection with the patient. Finally, in some severe cases, they never receive a chance to continue their practice.
Conclusion
To draw a conclusion, it is possible to say that the nature of dual relationships should always be taken into consideration when discussing each particular situation. In the case described in the previous paragraphs, it is evident that the type and nature of the dual connection between the outpatient behavioral health services worker and his patient are mutually adverse. It leads to an extended number of negative outcomes, including the deterioration of the client’s state, their inability to work through their trauma, and the therapist’s lower chances of being considered a professional in their sphere. Therefore, according to Georgia’s jurisdictional regulation, such relationships should not be supported by the law, and appropriate punishment in the form of fines and sanctions is imposed on the therapist.
References
Dual relationships: An ethical reality. (2018). Newfoundland & Labrador Association of Social Workers, (3), 1-2. Web.
Morgan, S. (2013). Criminalization of psychotherapist sexual misconduct. National Association of Social Workers. Web.
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. (2020). Consent laws Georgia. RAINN. Web.
Reamer, F. G. (2020). Boundary issues and dual relationships in the human services. In Boundary issues and dual relationships in the human services. Columbia University Press.
Title 46: Professional and occupational standards: Part XXV. Credentialed social workers. (2020). Web.