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There is a part in section A. 6. b that says counselors have the right to "extend" ones boundaries. I think with me, there has been a lot of "extending" going on.
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There is no "right" for a counselor to extend boundaries. Rather, there is a balancing envisioned, in which the client's welfare is paramount.
Here is the text of that section:
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A.6.b. Extending Counselor Boundaries
Counselors consider the risks and benefits of extending current counseling relationships beyond conventional parameters. Examples include attending a client's formal ceremony (e.g., a wedding/commitment ceremony or graduation), purchasing a service or product provided by a client (excepting unrestricted bartering), and visitjng a client's ill family member in the hospital. In extending these boundaries, counselors take appropriate professional precautions such as informed consent, consultation, supervision, and documentation to ensure that judgment is not impaired and no harm occurs.
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Has your counselor taken "appropriate professional precautions" such as obtaining your informed consent?
Note also that A.6.c. states
If counselors extend boundaries...they must officially document, prior to the interaction (if feasible), the rationale for such an interaction, the potential benefit, and anticipated consequences for the client.
I wonder if your counselor is documenting these boundary extensions in your file.
The American Counseling Association Code of Ethics is here:
http://www.counseling.org/resources/...-of-ethics.pdf