LMFT

• AAMFT Ethics Consultant: Contacting the ethics hotline or a designated ethics consultant at the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) would provide guidance specific to the AAMFT Code of Ethics and its application to this unique situation.
• Experienced Colleague: Seeking consultation with a marriage and family therapist who has specific training and experience working with individuals and couples involved in BDSM relationships is essential. This colleague can offer insights into the nuances of consensual power exchange, potential risks, and appropriate therapeutic approaches. It’s vital to find a colleague who holds an affirming and non-judgmental stance towards consensual adult sexual practices.
• Legal Counsel (if necessary): If Jim has any concerns about potential legal implications, particularly regarding domestic violence or abuse despite John’s assurances, or regarding the dual relationship and its potential legal ramifications, consulting with an attorney familiar with family law and therapist responsibilities in his jurisdiction would be prudent.

Using the SLEEPP model, identify each step you would take with an explanation of how your action for each step relates to ethical imperatives in the AAMFT Code of Ethics and applicable standards and sub-standards.

S – Stakeholders: Identify all individuals and entities affected by the decision.

• Action: Jim would identify the stakeholders: John, Sally, himself, the AAMFT, the state licensing board, and potentially future clients who may be impacted by Jim’s approach to diverse relationship dynamics and dual relationships.
• Ethical Imperatives (AAMFT Code of Ethics):
  • 1.1 Responsibility to Clients: Therapists advance the welfare of families and individuals.
  • 1.2 Informed Consent: Therapists obtain appropriate informed consent to therapy or related procedures and use language that is reasonably understandable to clients.
  • 1.3 Multiple Relationships: Therapists are aware of their influential position with respect to clients, and they avoid exploiting the trust and dependency of clients. Therapists take reasonable precautions to avoid entering into or remaining in multiple relationships with clients that could impair professional judgment or increase the risk of exploitation.
• Feedback from Clients (Enhancement):
  • John: Initially, John reassured Jim about his safety and consent during the brief individual meeting.
  • Sally: Expressed their understanding of the dominant-submissive dynamic as consensual.
• Re-evaluation: John’s subsequent approach at the Al-Anon meeting, seeking a private conversation about unshared issues, introduces significant ambiguity and raises concerns about the validity of his initial assurances of safety and consent. This necessitates a re-evaluation of the initial assessment.

L – Legal: Consider all relevant laws, regulations, and professional guidelines.

• Action: Jim would review state laws regarding domestic violence, assault, and the responsibilities of mandated reporters. He would also consider regulations around dual relationships and potential conflicts of interest for licensed therapists.
• Ethical Imperatives (AAMFT Code of Ethics):
  • 1.4 Sexual Intimacy with Current Clients and Others: Sexual intimacy with current clients, their spouses, parents, or children is prohibited.
  • 1.7 Withholding Information: Therapists do not withhold professional records from clients except when precluded by law or court order.
• Legal Implication: The primary legal implication is the potential for undisclosed domestic violence or abuse, despite John’s initial assurances. Therapists have a responsibility to ensure client safety and to report suspected abuse. Additionally, the dual relationship arising from the Al-Anon meeting could have legal ramifications regarding professional boundaries and potential conflicts of interest.
• Feedback from Clients (Enhancement):
  • John: During the private conversation at Al-Anon, John might disclose information suggesting coercion, fear, or a lack of genuine consent, triggering mandated reporting obligations.
  • Sally: If confronted about potential abuse, Sally’s reaction could provide further information relevant to legal considerations.
• Re-evaluation: If John’s later disclosure indicates a lack of genuine consent or fear of harm, Jim’s legal and ethical obligations to ensure safety would supersede John’s initial statements. The emergence of the dual relationship also necessitates a re-evaluation of the legal and ethical permissibility of continuing therapy.

E – Ethical: Apply the AAMFT Code of Ethics and relevant ethical principles.

• Action: Jim would meticulously analyze the situation through the lens of the AAMFT Code of Ethics, focusing on client welfare, informed consent, competence, avoiding exploitation and conflicts of interest, and managing dual relationships.
• Ethical Imperatives (AAMFT Code of Ethics):
  • 1.1 Responsibility to Clients: The primary responsibility is to John and Sally’s well-being and safety.
  • 1.2 Informed Consent: True informed consent requires voluntariness and the absence of coercion. The bruises and John’s later request for a private conversation raise concerns about whether his initial consent was fully informed and voluntary.
  • 1.3 Multiple Relationships: The encounter at Al-Anon creates a multiple relationship that could impair Jim’s professional judgment and increase the risk of exploitation.
  • 3.1 Therapist Competence: Jim acknowledges his lack of experience with BDSM. Providing competent care requires appropriate training, consultation, or referral.
  • 3.9 Scope of Competence: While developing new areas of practice, therapists take reasonable steps to ensure the competence of their work through education, training, consultation, and supervision.
  • 3.12 Dual Relationships: Therapists avoid dual relationships that could impair professional judgment or increase the risk of exploitation.
• Feedback from Clients (Enhancement):
  • John: Might express feeling conflicted or pressured in his relationship, revealing a lack of true autonomy. He might also express discomfort or a feeling of compromised privacy due to the Al-Anon encounter.
  • Sally: Could react with defensiveness, minimization, or attempts to control the narrative if Jim explores the potential for coercion or harm.
• Re-evaluation: The ethical imperative to avoid dual relationships and practice within one’s competence, coupled with the emerging concerns about John’s safety and the validity of his consent, strongly suggests the need for consultation and careful consideration of referral.

E – Personal: Consider your own values, beliefs, and potential biases.

• Action: Jim would critically examine his personal disapproval of BDSM relationships and how this might be influencing his perception of the situation and his ability to provide unbiased care. He needs to strive for professional neutrality and avoid imposing his values on the couple’s consensual adult choices.
• Ethical Imperatives (AAMFT Code of Ethics):
  • 1.9 Difference in Values: Therapists respect the rights of clients to hold different values, attitudes, and opinions.
  • 3.1 Therapist Competence: Therapists take reasonable steps to ensure their biases, personal values, or beliefs do not adversely affect clients.
• Feedback from Clients (Enhancement):
  • John: Might sense Jim’s discomfort or disapproval, making him hesitant to fully disclose sensitive information or feel truly understood.