OLERE - Oklahoma Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Dual Relationships and Boundaries Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An LPC's client, a skilled electrician experiencing financial difficulties, offers to rewire the LPC's new office in exchange for four counseling sessions. According to Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 86:10-3-3.1 regarding bartering, under which condition might this be permissible?
- If the arrangement is not exploitative, a written contract is created, it is an accepted community practice, and the client insists on it. (Correct answer)
- If the fair market value of the electrical work is exactly equal to the cost of the four sessions.
- If the LPC discloses the bartering arrangement to the Board in their semi-annual report.
- If the services are for a pre-existing condition and not for a new diagnosis.
Correct answer: If the arrangement is not exploitative, a written contract is created, it is an accepted community practice, and the client insists on it.
The Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 86:10-3-3.1(b) specifies that LPCs may barter for tangible goods if the relationship is not exploitative, the client requests it, a clear written contract is established, and it's an accepted practice in the community. This question is a slight variation, as the code explicitly prohibits bartering for services rendered by the client, only allowing for tangible goods. However, among the choices provided, the first option contains the core principles (non-exploitation, client request, contract, community practice) that govern the limited allowance of bartering for tangible goods, making it the most correct answer reflecting the spirit and specific requirements of the bartering rule.
Question 2: Which of the following social media policies is most consistent with an Oklahoma LPC's duty to maintain professional boundaries and prevent dual relationships?
- Accepting a friend request from a current client on a personal social media profile but restricting their access to posts.
- Creating separate professional and personal social media pages and declining all connection requests from current clients on personal accounts. (Correct answer)
- Posting vague details about challenging cases on a private blog accessible only by other mental health professionals.
- Allowing clients to send direct messages for scheduling purposes through a public professional social media account.
Correct answer: Creating separate professional and personal social media pages and declining all connection requests from current clients on personal accounts.
Maintaining separate professional and personal social media accounts and not engaging in personal online relationships with current clients is a critical boundary. This practice prevents the blurring of lines between the therapeutic relationship and a personal one, which constitutes a dual relationship and can compromise confidentiality and professional judgment. The ACA Code of Ethics, which Oklahoma's rules align with, supports this separation to protect clients.
Question 3: An approved LPC Supervisor in Oklahoma begins to develop a close personal friendship with one of their LPC Candidates, including frequent social outings and sharing intimate personal details. According to the OAC, this relationship is problematic primarily because it:
- Must be reported to the on-site supervisor.
- Is only allowed if the supervisee is paying for their own supervision.
- Is a prohibited dual relationship that can impair professional judgment and increase the risk of exploitation. (Correct answer)
- Prevents the supervisor from taking on any other supervisees.
Correct answer: Is a prohibited dual relationship that can impair professional judgment and increase the risk of exploitation.
OAC 86:10-3-4.1 states that LPCs shall avoid dual relationships with supervisees that impair professional judgment or increase the risk of exploitation, providing 'close personal relationships' as a specific example. The inherent power differential in the supervisory relationship makes such friendships ethically hazardous, as the supervisor's objectivity can be compromised and the supervisee may feel unable to be fully transparent for fear of damaging the friendship.
Question 4: A client offers their LPC a small, handmade painting at their final session as a token of gratitude. The LPC estimates its monetary value to be less than $25. What is the LPC's most ethical course of action?
- Accept the gift but disclose it as income to the IRS.
- Politely decline the gift, explaining the strict policy against any gifts to avoid potential boundary crossings.
- Immediately refer the client to another therapist for a termination consultation.
- Assess the gift's meaning to the client, its clinical implications, and the motivation behind it before deciding whether to accept. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Assess the gift's meaning to the client, its clinical implications, and the motivation behind it before deciding whether to accept.
Ethical codes do not have a strict prohibition on accepting gifts of small, nominal value. The standard of practice is for the counselor to use professional judgment. This involves considering the gift's value, the client's motivation, the cultural context, and the potential impact on the therapeutic relationship. A small, appropriate token of appreciation at termination may be acceptable if it does not create a boundary issue.
Question 5: Three years after therapy has terminated, an LPC's former client enrolls in a graduate program and is assigned to a class taught by the LPC. According to Oklahoma's rules on dual relationships, what is the LPC's primary ethical obligation?
- Refuse to teach the student and refer them to another professor's class.
- Acknowledge the prior relationship, discuss potential conflicts, and take steps to ensure objectivity and prevent exploitation. (Correct answer)
- Ignore the prior relationship to protect the former client's confidentiality in the academic setting.
- Report the situation to the university dean and the Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure.
Correct answer: Acknowledge the prior relationship, discuss potential conflicts, and take steps to ensure objectivity and prevent exploitation.
While OAC 86:10-3-4 prohibits sexual relationships with former clients for five years and entering into close personal or business dealings for five years, other dual relationships can occur. When an unavoidable dual relationship arises, the LPC's responsibility is to manage it ethically. This involves acknowledging the situation, discussing potential issues with the former client (now student), maintaining clear boundaries, and taking all necessary steps to prevent exploitation and ensure professional judgment is not impaired.
Question 6: According to the Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC 86:10-3-4), which of the following actions is explicitly prohibited between an LPC and a current supervisee?
- Attending the same professional development workshop.
- Engaging in sexual contact. (Correct answer)
- Co-facilitating a therapy group.
- Discussing case conceptualization outside of scheduled supervision times.
Correct answer: Engaging in sexual contact.
The OAC, in section 86:10-3-4(c)(2), is unequivocal in its prohibition of sexual conduct with current supervisees. This rule is in place to prevent the exploitation of the supervisee, given the significant power differential inherent in the supervisory relationship. Other interactions, while requiring careful boundary management, are not explicitly forbidden.
OLERE - Oklahoma Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Dual Relationships and Boundaries Questions and Answers 1
An LPC's client, a skilled electrician experiencing financial difficulties, offers to rewire the LPC's new office in exchange for four counseling sessions.
According to Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 86:10-3-3.1 regarding bartering, under which condition might this be permissible?