Ethical Dilemma Feedback Help for New Student

[PsyD^6]

I am a new student looking for some feedback from someone with a PsyD or PhD. I just need someone who is willing to give me how they would approach the following:
Ethical Dilemma:
Clients often feel closely connected to their counselors/therapists and may consider them friends. To show their gratitude, they may send flowers, gifts or invitations to special events such as graduations or weddings. How do you handle this?

I know this is Ethics101, but I need someone who is licensed and willing to provide feedback and their credentials to report back to my class. Thanks.

James

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[deleted480308]

(doctor, not a psyd/phd)

nominal gifts are graciously accepted with a reminder that it's not at all necessary. Invitations are politely sidestepped

 

[erg923]

Commemorative beer mugs from your substance abuse group at the local VA (happened to me)?....prob not a good idea and grist for the process/group therapy mill.

Otherwise, lets not be robots or dicks about it. You can accept small tokens of gratitude, but nothing of any significant monetary value.

Step 2: Explain how the therapeutic relationship could get complicated if it continues.

 

[Groupthink]

I am a licensed clinical psychologist. Per Guthiel & Brodsky's (2013) "Preventing Boundary Violations in Clinical Practice", it is important for a therapist to determine whether the behavior in question could lead from a 'boundary crossing' (giving a gift) into a 'boundary violation' (taking advantage of the client's generosity). It is the therapist's responsibility to see how, if at all, the gift-giving could be utilized as an aspect of the therapy, and to enforce boundaries should it possibly lead to questionable behavior.

It is worth asking and exploring: What function does the gift giving serve for the client? Does this action mitigate the client's anxiety about engaging in therapy? Is there a need to appeal to authority? Are there romantic or sexual connotations to the gift giving? What might this say about the client's attachments and personality dynamics?

Last but not least: never ever tell a psychologist "don't look a gift horse in the mouth". Most of us are not capable of following this advice.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

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