Introduction
Research has extensively emphasized that it is critical for a good therapeutic relation to exist between a counselor and a patient, to enhance better communication and understanding between the two parties ( Burnham, 2018) . However, scholars and professions have constantly questioned the extent to which the relationship between a doctor and a client should reach ( Burnham, 2018) . While research maintains that the client should feel confident to reveal personal information to a counselor, a social relationship should not exist between a patient and a counselor.
Social Relations with Clients during the Time they are in counseling.
During the time that patients are in counseling, professional boundaries have to be established to demarcate a clear distinction of what is allowed and what is not in terms of their relations with clients ( Burnham, 2018) . According to research, since time immemorial social relations between clients have been strictly prohibited given the vital nature of professionalism to ensure that clients both the attention and help that they require.
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Social Relations with Clients after they complete counseling
Research reveals that professionals and clients overwhelmingly support the establishment of social relations after they complete counseling maintain that it is not in breach of the ethics code ( Kivlighan et al, 2015) . Three types of post-therapy contact are identified, name: incidental, professional and personal. Incidental post therapy contact occurs when previous patients and their counselors meet in social functions and interact ( Kivlighan et al, 2015) . This type of contact is not prohibited ( Kivlighan et al, 2015) . However, established laws maintain that therapists and their clients should wait for at least five years for there to be a social relationship between them ( Kivlighan et al, 2015) . However, scholars maintain the observation that the loosening of the laws governing the relationship between therapists and their patients increases the scope of liability and responsibility for therapists.
References
Burnham, J. (2018). Relational reflexivity: a tool for socially constructing therapeutic relationships. In The Space Between (pp. 1-17). Routledge.
Kivlighan Jr, D. M., Gelso, C. J., Ain, S., Hummel, A. M., & Markin, R. D. (2015). The therapist, the client, and the real relationship: An actor–partner interdependence analysis of treatment outcome. Journal of Counseling Psychology , 62 (2), 314.
