Managing Multiple Relationships in Health Counseling

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Multiple Relationship Scenarios As a health consultant, one of the challenges I encounter in the health and wellness setting is establishing and maintaining boundaries with members. In this environment where my professional role very often overlaps with friendships and multiple relationships, balancing boundaries and associations can become a slippery slope. Corey, Corey and Callanan (2010) stated, “When clinicians blend their professional relationships with another kind of relationship with a client, ethical concerns must be considered” (p. 268). These concern as noted by Gutheil and Gabbard (1993) are, “boundary crossings (changes in role) and boundary violations (exploitation of the client at some level) (as cited by Corey et al. (2010, p. 275). The Case of Dawn and Chrissie One day, Dawn, a member and close friend, who attends the corporate wellness center where I work, asked me to become her health consultant, I agreed. We conducted a private, one-on-one wellness consultation, to discuss medical issues, health behaviors and personal goals. Three weeks after becoming her health consultant, she invited me to a family gathering. Attending these events was a normal occurrence as we have been friends for more than twenty years. On this particular occasion however, Dawn asked me to speak with her twenty-three year old daughter, Chrissie, whose been struggling with her weight for over eighteen months. Chrissie became visibly upset that her mother spoke about her weight during this family gathering and left the room. Personally, I wanted to reach out to Chrissie but professionally I knew it was neither the time nor place for me to address what her mother called a weight loss intervention. Leaning the side of caution, I permitted my professional judgment to set the boundaries on approaching Chrissie regarding this subject. I chose to allow Chrissie to come to

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