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Article

In Recognition of Dual Relationships

Pages 32-38
Published online: 28 Dec 2017
 
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This article examines some of the assumptions underlying the recent concern among psychotherapists with issues related to dual relationships. It suggests that intellectual, moral, ethical, and clinical effort should be expended to educate both therapists and clients in how to deal with the unavoidable breaks and disruptions in the boundaries of the precious, but probably mythical, “single relationship.” An unrealistic attempt to avoid all dual relationships in psychotherapy may be defensively phobic or repressive. In addition, the issue of client abuse of therapists and the political exploitation of psychotherapist trainees as clients and supervisees in professional organizations is raised.

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Petrūska Clarkson

Petrūska Clarkson, M.A., Ph.D., CTSTA, is a Chartered Clinical and Counselling Psychologist and practicing psychotherapist, and Principal Clinical Psychologist Director of the metanoia Psychotherapy Training Institute in London. She has served on the ITAA Board of Trustees, is Chairperson of the Gestalt Training Institute of Great Britain, and past Chair for the British Institute of Integrative Psychotherapy (BIIP), which is affiliated with the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI) International.
 

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