OLERE - Oklahoma Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Dual Relationships and Boundaries 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?

Accepted Answer

If the arrangement is not exploitative, a written contract is created, it is an accepted community practice, and the client insists on it.

Answer

If the fair market value of the electrical work is exactly equal to the cost of the four sessions.

Answer

If the LPC discloses the bartering arrangement to the Board in their semi-annual report.

Answer

If the services are for a pre-existing condition and not for a new diagnosis.

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?

Accepted Answer

Creating separate professional and personal social media pages and declining all connection requests from current clients on personal accounts.

Answer

Accepting a friend request from a current client on a personal social media profile but restricting their access to posts.

Answer

Posting vague details about challenging cases on a private blog accessible only by other mental health professionals.

Answer

Allowing clients to send direct messages for scheduling purposes through a public professional social media account.

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:

Accepted Answer

Is a prohibited dual relationship that can impair professional judgment and increase the risk of exploitation.

Answer

Must be reported to the on-site supervisor.

Answer

Is only allowed if the supervisee is paying for their own supervision.

Answer

Prevents the supervisor from taking on any other supervisees.

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?

Accepted Answer

Assess the gift's meaning to the client, its clinical implications, and the motivation behind it before deciding whether to accept.

Answer

Accept the gift but disclose it as income to the IRS.

Answer

Politely decline the gift, explaining the strict policy against any gifts to avoid potential boundary crossings.

Answer

Immediately refer the client to another therapist for a termination consultation.

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?

Accepted Answer

Acknowledge the prior relationship, discuss potential conflicts, and take steps to ensure objectivity and prevent exploitation.

Answer

Refuse to teach the student and refer them to another professor's class.

Answer

Ignore the prior relationship to protect the former client's confidentiality in the academic setting.

Answer

Report the situation to the university dean and the Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure.

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?

Accepted Answer

Engaging in sexual contact.

Answer

Attending the same professional development workshop.

Answer

Co-facilitating a therapy group.

Answer

Discussing case conceptualization outside of scheduled supervision times.