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11. Is it wrong to see a therapist whom I already know from outside of therapy? You might wonder if it is alright to work with a Deaf therapist whom you know from a social or professional setting. When the therapist and client have another type of relationship outside of the therapy setting, they are said to have a dual relationship. While it is clearly considered unethical for a therapist to see a client if there is a sexual or romantic relationship between them, when there are other types of relationships between the therapist and client (i.e., business, social, or professional relationships), there is more room for interpretation in deciding on the appropriateness of the therapist and client working together. In a community as small and as closely-knit as the Deaf community, clients may find their only available therapy option is to see someone they already know from another context. Seeing someone you already know may be a better alternative than seeing no one at all. There are no statements in any of the codes of ethics for mental health professionals that state it is unethical for therapists and clients to have nonsexual dual relationships. Therapy can work very well in such situations, provided the therapist and client both have a clear understanding of boundaries and are able to communicate with each other about issues that may arise in the relationship. In many cases, the therapist being familiar with the client's background or current life can be helpful in therapy. The client may find it easy to trust the therapist as well. |