Discussion Post
For this discussion, consider the following scenario:
Amy is a divorced marriage and family therapist who has been in practice for 14 years.
Recently, she went out with her longtime girlfriends. After a few drinks, her group became increasingly loud and Amy started dancing on the table. As she left the bar, Amy ran into a client, Lisa, who had apparently witnessed her wild behavior. Amy first began to work with Lisa when she lost her husband and child in a drunk driving accident. While Amy feels that she is allowed to do what she wants on her time off, she also begins to wonder how this will affect her relationship with her client, Lisa. She begins to think about all of the ethical considerations that would come into play with this client.
While professional codes of ethics may not have specific guidelines for personal behavior, there are issues in this scenario that Amy may want to consider. For your initial discussion post, address the following:
1. Responsibility to clients: Is Amy respecting the welfare of Lisa if she chooses to continue to see Lisa? What specific standards in the AAMFT Code of Ethics pertain to this scenario?
2. Professional integrity: Although it may be acceptable to continue to counsel Lisa, is it a good moral decision?