Which scenario is not a dual relationship not depending on circumstance?

• A. Counselor referring to a doctor
• B. Counselor dating a client
• C. Counselor accepting client's property
• D. Counselor providing therapy

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is professional boundaries and when a relationship goes beyond the therapeutic role into a dual relationship. A dual relationship occurs when the counselor takes on another role with the same person that could affect objectivity, judgment, or exploit the trust placed in the therapeutic relationship.

Referring a client to a doctor is not a dual relationship because it stays within professional care coordination. It’s a standard step to ensure the client gets appropriate medical or psychological evaluation from another qualified professional, and it does not establish a second personal or ongoing role with the client. The client still interacts with the doctor as a separate professional, not as an additional role of the counselor.

The other scenarios introduce or imply another ongoing or personal role with the client. Dating a client creates a personal relationship that exists alongside therapy and can hugely bias judgment and ethics. Accepting a client’s property can blur boundaries and create a dependency or financial conflict of interest. Providing therapy is the core professional service, and while it’s not a dual relationship on its own, problems arise when any additional role overlays that therapy (for example, if another personal or business relationship exists).