Statement on dual relationships and trainee applicants
Counseling Services welcomes students to seek out our services, as above all, we are here to serve the mental health needs of our students and want to decrease barriers to accessing such services. Additionally, Counseling Services staff take care to prevent multiple relationships (i.e. holding both the roles of client and supervisee) that would reasonably be expected to impair our objectivity, competence, or effectiveness or could otherwise risk exploitation or harm to other persons in our professional work.
Former clients who received services* from us, may have their application considered, and care will be taken to consider if the applicant could be put in a position where their previous clinician would have supervisory or administrative power with them, e.g. clinical supervisors, Director of Training, Director, or Assistant Director of Training. If such a situation cannot be prevented, the applicant shall be removed from consideration.
Should a trainee be a previous client at CS, their status as a former client shall be carefully and purposefully disclosed to limited staff, for the purpose of assigning clinical supervisors who do not create a dual relationship issue.
If a student previously held a training position at CS later seeks counseling services, care will be taken in counselor assignment to follow ethical standards and minimize harm. No student is assigned a clinician who has had a supervisory or administrative relationship with the student. If a student identifies as a previous training clinician when scheduling, they must be scheduled for a meeting with the Clinical Director or their designee to pre-arrange a session with a clinician who does not pose a dual relationship issue.
Should a trainee be a previous client at CS or seek clinical services having held a training position at CS in the past, their electronic mental health record shall be locked so it cannot be accessed by anyone but the administrators (e.g., Director, Clinical Director, Training Director, Office Manager).
*Note: Services includes individual therapy, group therapy, psychological assessment, crisis sessions, consultations, and same-day sessions.