Counselor-Client Sexual Contact: Implications for Ethics Training

Most programs spend little or no time addressing the prohibition against sexual contact with clients, yet it is the most commonly violated of the ethical principles. This article provides a brief overview of models of ethics training and addresses specific strategies for preventing counselor-client sexual contact. These strategies include knowledge, activities that promote self-awareness, and provision of a climate that enhances the development of moral values and behavior. The responsibilities of training programs are addressed, including the provision of clear statements of the rights and responsibilities of trainees and of a due process and grievance procedure for review of impaired or problematic trainees.