CLT Ethics & Professional Boundaries 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A LEAP therapist's client discloses that they have stopped taking medication without telling their psychiatrist. What is the most ethically appropriate first response?
- Immediately call the psychiatrist to report the disclosure
- Use reflective listening to explore the client's reasons before deciding next steps (Correct answer)
- Tell the client they must restart medication or therapy will end
- Document the disclosure and take no further action
Correct answer: Use reflective listening to explore the client's reasons before deciding next steps
LEAP ethics prioritize maintaining the therapeutic alliance; exploring reasons reflectively honors autonomy while allowing the therapist to assess safety.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'role clarity' as an ethical principle for LEAP therapists?
- The therapist assumes multiple roles to better serve the client
- The therapist clearly communicates the scope and limits of the therapeutic relationship (Correct answer)
- The therapist defers all clinical decisions to the client's family
- The therapist avoids discussing their professional credentials
Correct answer: The therapist clearly communicates the scope and limits of the therapeutic relationship
Role clarity means the therapist explicitly defines the nature, purpose, and limits of the relationship so clients understand what to expect.
Question 3: A LEAP therapist is approached by a client's employer requesting a detailed progress report. What is the correct ethical action?
- Provide the report since employment is in the client's best interest
- Decline and inform the employer that a release of information signed by the client is required (Correct answer)
- Share only positive information to protect the client
- Ask the employer to contact the supervising psychiatrist instead
Correct answer: Decline and inform the employer that a release of information signed by the client is required
Confidentiality requires written client authorization before disclosing information to third parties, including employers.
Question 4: When a LEAP therapist realizes they have developed countertransference feelings toward a client, the ethically required action is to:
- Transfer the client to another therapist immediately
- Ignore the feelings as long as professional conduct is maintained
- Seek supervision or personal consultation to process those feelings (Correct answer)
- Disclose the feelings to the client to maintain honesty
Correct answer: Seek supervision or personal consultation to process those feelings
Supervision is the standard ethical mechanism for processing countertransference to protect both client welfare and therapeutic integrity.
Question 5: A LEAP therapist sees a current client at a community event and the client greets them warmly in front of others. The ethically sound response is to:
- Ignore the client to protect confidentiality
- Follow the client's lead, responding warmly only if the client initiates (Correct answer)
- Introduce the client to others present as a way of normalizing the relationship
- Immediately leave the event to avoid a dual relationship
Correct answer: Follow the client's lead, responding warmly only if the client initiates
Following the client's lead protects confidentiality while honoring the client's autonomy about disclosing the therapeutic relationship in public.
Question 6: Which scenario represents a violation of the LEAP therapist's duty to maintain professional boundaries?
- Accepting a small token of cultural appreciation from a client's family
- Providing a client's phone number to another client who seems lonely (Correct answer)
- Using the LEAP technique in a hospital consultation setting
- Discussing a client's case with a supervisor
Correct answer: Providing a client's phone number to another client who seems lonely
Sharing one client's contact information with another client violates confidentiality and creates inappropriate boundary crossings.
Question 7: In LEAP practice, 'non-abandonment' means the therapist must:
- Agree to work with any client who requests services indefinitely
- Provide appropriate referrals and transition plans when ending the therapeutic relationship (Correct answer)
- Never terminate therapy regardless of clinical appropriateness
- Always be available by phone 24 hours a day
Correct answer: Provide appropriate referrals and transition plans when ending the therapeutic relationship
Non-abandonment requires that termination is handled responsibly, with adequate notice, referrals, and transition support.
CLT Ethics & Professional Boundaries 2
A LEAP therapist's client discloses that they have stopped taking medication without telling their psychiatrist.
What is the most ethically appropriate first response?