by Gene Scarborough » Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:43 am
Cathy---
The unwise abuse of the trust of a child or adult is totally indecent.
My own wife became too close to a youth minister in her teens and we had some serious issues to deal with in our early marriage after re-encountering him at a Convention. The sicko started calling her again even after she had happily married to me. Shall we say it was "a most tender moment" in putting our marriage together---more strong in this case. Not sure how many other marriages might have stood it.
A part of the counseling experience is "Transference." That is the point at which a counselee falls in love with her counselor. It is normal and the most tender and fragile moment in trying to help someone. It is taught in EVERY counseling course---and sometimes the wise teacher even tests the student by putting him in an assignment with a most attractive women / girl so he experiences it first-hand.
Ethics in counseling dictates that a counselor who cannot control personal emotions must stop the process or transfer the client to another counselor. There is no in-between where you hope the feelings go away.
I have had the experience on several occasions, but managed to keep my integrity. Would that others did the same!!! A multitude of hurts could have been avoided. NEVER does such a thing produce good long-term results.
Gene Scarborough