Hi Rainbow, several months past I contacted personnel at the APA for another matter, and I put this question to them, because it so often comes up on this particular forum. There use to be a two year wait for Friendships. "At present we are not aware of any state in the USA that still has a two year wait in their behavioral ethics codes for platonic friendships." This goes for all professionals licensed in mental health. The states get their ethics codes from the the professional associations, and so do many other countries. In fact, many therapist think this two year wait still exist in their state. I would like to see people look it up and hopefully post what they learn to your thread. Both my individual and group Therapist said this two years and five months ago, respectively. Many therapist are just not aware that the code has changed.

It is an individual therapist's choice regarding platonic friendship/contact with former clients. Many that work for agencies, public or private practice groups, set additional rules of conduct. That maybe what some clients are running up against.

The no sex contact is a two years ban from the termination of therapy, and a licensing issue if it is violated, UNLESS a particular state has strengthened their law regarding this matter. Less than a handful of state ( < 2 ? ) make sex a criminal issue. I don't know how the two year rule applies regarding sex. My vote is a lifetime ban on sex with clients, IMO.

As for the meet and greet, that is taught in schools, training, etc. Unfortunately, I think it just helps continue the shame of getting help when we need it, IMO only. This was a thread on the boards early on in my therapy, and I told my therapist that I would be highly offended if she saw me and ignored me. She said she would never do that. I saw her quite a few times in public and she came over to me and visa versa. I even introduced her to my friends. She has a good memory as to what client wants what. Could she make a mistake if she has to remember what client wants what. Of course! Real life is what she teaches her clients to deal with.

Take care Rainbow 8,

GTGT