{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Explore Our Extensive Counselling Article Library","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.aipc.net.au\/articles","author_name":"AIPC","author_url":"https:\/\/www.aipc.net.au\/articles\/author\/admin\/","title":"Counselling and intimate relationships with clients","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"7f9YADOcWt\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aipc.net.au\/articles\/counselling-and-intimate-relationships-with-clients\/\">Counselling and intimate relationships with clients<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aipc.net.au\/articles\/counselling-and-intimate-relationships-with-clients\/embed\/#?secret=7f9YADOcWt\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Counselling and intimate relationships with clients&#8221; &#8212; Explore Our Extensive Counselling Article Library\" data-secret=\"7f9YADOcWt\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/www.aipc.net.au\/articles\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","description":"Simply put, sexual\/romantic relationships between clients and counsellors\/therapists across the spectrum of psychological helpers is seen as universally unacceptable. Despite this fact, according to recent research (Vessentini et al, 2022) over 70% of mental health professionals report emotional feelings and sexual attraction to their clients and 27% fantasized about having sexual contact with their clients, although only 3% acted on such impulses. So, in reality very few therapists had sexual relationships with clients (around 1 in 30) and when relationships did occur it would typically be with only one client. In Vessentini and colleagues work, it appears forming a friendship with a client, and especially amongst older therapists, was more common and this occurred mostly after therapy had ended. Additionally, accepting gifts was common in 8 out of 10 therapists, and 20% of therapists also reported giving goodbye hugs at the end of therapy. This would indicate that the traditional approach of psychologists as a figure who remains a \u2018blank page\u2019, keeping themselves out of the therapeutic relationship except as diagnostic interpreters, is out of date and Rogers taught the idea that the therapeutic relationship should be one that is authentic real and congruent (Worth &amp; Proctor, 2020). That being said, therapy is focussed on the client and their issues and so the relationship is and (needs to be) somewhat one-sided. The question is more: to what extent does the therapist need to be involved in the relationship in order to form a good working alliance? and then beyond that; how to ensure the nature of this relationship does not cross boundaries into a personal and even sexual one that ultimately puts the client at risk as a result of meeting the needs of the therapist."}