Counselling Dilemma: Dual Relationship Boundaries
You have been working with a client for the last 3 months on rebuilding his life and re-integrating into society after having spent 6 years in prison for sex offences. For the last month, you have been working on issues of him frequently stealing money from his girlfriend’s wallet for drinks with his mates, him lying to her about his past and difficulties in holding down a job. Last weekend, your sister organised a party and invited you as she really wanted you to meet her boyfriend (whom she had been going out with for 3 months and they are now contemplating marriage). To your surprise, when you arrived, her boyfriend was none other than your client.
What do you do as the counsellor/therapist in this situation?
This scenario involves the critical ethical considerations of confidentiality and dual relationship boundaries.
Counsellors are subject to strict ethical guidelines not to disclose anything that has occurred in therapy. Therefore, while I would have an emotionally-fuelled desire to warn my sister, I am aware that I cannot disclose any knowledge of my client or his actions.
It is also a counsellor?s responsibility to provide objective and effective services to their clients. I believe that the nature of the dual relationship in this scenario would severely impinge on my ability to remain objective and act in the best interests of my client. The conditions of my client?s relationship with my sister would be likely to colour my judgment and interfere with my objectivity.
If a dual role relationship impairs the counsellor?s ability to make judgments that promote the welfare of their clients, the counsellor has a moral responsibility to take appropriate steps to safeguard their client?s welfare. Therefore, in this circumstance, I would explain my conflict to my client and outline for him how the unanticipated dual relationship has created an ethical dilemma. I would then provide him with an appropriate referral and assist in the transition to a new counsellor.
I would undoubtedly have a desire for my sister to know all the facts before making a commitment such as marriage. However, I have a duty to uphold the rights of my clients, including their right to confidentiality. Confidentiality can only be broken in exceptional circumstances, such as when someone is at risk of serious harm. Although I might find a history of sex offences and the presence of lying and (presumably petty) theft in my sister’s relationship concerning, without any indication that the client intends to put my sister?s safety at risk, I do not feel that breaking confidentiality is justified. As difficult as it may be, I would need to put my personal loyalties aside to uphold the professional responsibilities I have to the client.
(As an aside, I think it’s important not to make assumptions about what the outcome of my intervening might be. Maybe she has already noticed the money going missing from her wallet? Maybe she has already found out some or most of his past yet chooses to be with him anyway?)
The ethical dilemma, therefore, is not whether I should break confidentiality but rather whether I should continue to work with the client given the dual relationship that now exists. In this case, I feel that the answer would be no. Given the relationship I have with my sister, I would risk introducing personal bias into the counselling relationship. The best solution is a referral.
I would discuss the situation with the client, being sensitive to his reaction to the situation. No doubt he is as surprised as I am that his counsellor is his girlfriend’s sister! It may not have been a pleasant surprise for him, and he might be worried about the safety of the information he has disclosed to me. I would explain why I cannot continue to work with him, and assure him of the confidentiality of his information, both now and in the future. I would then begin the process of referring him on to another more suitable counsellor.