Dual Relationships In Counseling

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What is a dual relationship?
A dual relationship is when a counselor/therapist and their client have another relationship in addition to the professional client/therapist relationship. When boundaries are crossed in the counseling relationship it may result in ethical problems. There are several types of potential relationships such as: physical, social, financial and psychological. Ethical violations may have negative effects on the client.
Dual relationships are not always a problem but they have more potential to be, that’s why it is not recommended. One of the main reasons why this becomes an issue is because of the power difference between the client and the counselor. The client may look up to the counselor and desire their approval.
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Counselors and therapists are professionals who help their clients face issues that friends or family members may not be able to help with. They give educated, well thought out suggestions in areas where the client may not know what to do or how to handle certain life’s situations. Clients sometimes need help seeing things in a different light so they rely on the wisdom of their therapist’s or counselors.
Life comes with many ups and downs. Some downs may be overwhelming, causing confusions. At times, life can become overwhelming so people opt to seek guidance from an outside source.
Tragedies are a common reason for people making the initial decision to see a therapist in the first place. For example, divorce, death, and unemployment are some of the difficulties of life that may steer someone to feel like the need help. There are a variety of counseling options for that such as grief counseling and mental health
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Discuss at length what makes a competent counselor.
Competence in counseling is critical. It is vital for professional counselors to have the ability to help their clients successfully and efficiently. This includes knowing the ethical rules and boundaries of the profession. Counselor competence decreases helps with good decision making. Generally, a counselor is considered to be competent when they are qualified, capable and have the ability to comprehend and accomplish things in an appropriate and effective manner. An effective professional has a systematic approach, which ensures a high level of quality work.
Being a competent counselor involves having the abilities of critical thinking and good decision making. These skills are essential when counseling clients. Counselors need to be able to communicate well, they need to have good values, they need to be efficient in clinical reasoning, they need to be emotionally sound and most importantly counselors need to poses a wealth of knowledge in the field.
Competence is something that develops over time and continues to develop all throughout the counselor’s career. That is why counselors must assess themselves continuously to keep themselves in check. It is important to stay professional in order to avoid unethical situations with

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