Managing Boundaries & Power Dynamics Flashcards
7 cards from real ACS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Managing Boundaries & Power Dynamics flashcards as text
A supervisee invites their clinical supervisor to connect on a personal social media platform. What is the BEST supervisor response?
Answer: Decline and explain the professional boundary rationale
Supervisors should decline personal social media connections and use the moment to educate about professional boundaries.
Which scenario BEST illustrates role boundary confusion in clinical supervision?
Answer: Supervisee shares personal trauma that becomes the ongoing focus of supervision sessions
When supervision consistently focuses on the supervisee's personal issues rather than clinical work, supervision has shifted into a therapy role.
A supervisor notices they feel personally attracted to a supervisee. The MOST ethical immediate action is to:
Answer: Consult with a trusted colleague or seek personal supervision
Seeking consultation or personal supervision is the ethical step that protects both parties while addressing the supervisor's countertransference.
Power differentials in supervision are MOST problematic when:
Answer: The supervisee fears honest disclosure due to evaluation stakes
The supervisory relationship becomes problematic when power imbalance silences the supervisee and prevents honest clinical disclosure.
A supervisee gifts the supervisor an expensive item at the end of the supervisory relationship. The supervisor should:
Answer: Decline and briefly explain that accepting gifts is outside professional norms
Gifts can reinforce transference dynamics and blur professional limits even at relationship termination, so they should be declined with a brief explanation.
A supervisee discloses they are in a personal relationship with one of their clients. The supervisor's FIRST obligation is to:
Answer: Ensure client safety and welfare by addressing the ethical violation directly
Client welfare is the primary concern; the supervisor must address the ethical violation immediately and take steps to protect the client.
Which supervisory approach BEST mitigates power imbalance while maintaining appropriate authority?
Answer: Collaboratively establishing a supervision contract that clarifies roles and expectations
A collaborative supervision contract transparently structures power while preserving the supervisor's accountability responsibilities.