Week 3 Discussion: Relationships With Clients and Profession…

Vignette

For this discussion, consider the following vignette.

Dr. Juana Gonzales, a licensed marriage and family therapist, has been seeing a couple, Miguel and Sarah, for six months. They are experiencing communication issues in their marriage and have been working with Dr. Gonzales to improve their relationship. Over the course of their sessions, Dr. Gonzales has developed a close professional rapport with both clients and has become increasingly invested in their progress.

However, Dr. Gonzales’ personal life begins to complicate things. She has recently become friends with Sarah’s sister, Megan, who confides in her about her own romantic struggles. As Megan shares more personal details about her relationships and expresses frustration with the lack of support from her family, Dr. Gonzales sympathizes deeply with Megan. One evening, Megan mentions that she feels disconnected from Sarah, who seems distant and cold toward her since her marriage to Miguel began.

Feeling a growing emotional connection to Megan, Dr. Gonzales starts to view the situation from a new perspective. She begins to question the way Sarah and Miguel are handling their marital issues and starts thinking that Sarah might be the one at fault for their ongoing struggles. As their therapy sessions continue, Dr. Gonzales subtly shifts her approach, focusing more on Miguel’s perspective and offering him validation for the frustrations he’s expressed. She encourages Sarah to work on her behavior but inadvertently starts pushing for a different direction in the therapy that aligns with her growing bias toward Megan’s view of the relationship.

In your post, address the following:

• How might Dr. Gonzales have recognized the conflict of interest earlier in her relationship with Megan, and what steps could she have taken to maintain professional boundaries?
• In what ways did Dr. Gonzales’ personal connection with Megan impact her objectivity as a therapist, and how could this have affected the therapeutic process for both Miguel and Sarah?
• What are the potential consequences for a therapist when personal biases interfere with their professional responsibilities, and how can therapists ensure they avoid such conflicts of interest in their practice?
• List the standards and sub-standards in the
• that relate to this vignette.

Response Guidelines

Respond to the posts of at least two of your peers. Ask questions for clarification, respectfully debate points, and present additional information, as applicable.