There are variations on dual relationships that can occur between counselors and consumers. The gray area is often called boundary crossings rather than boundary violations. The code of ethics a counselor follows acknowledges dual relationships can be mutually beneficial or harmful. A harmless interaction may occur in a small town where your kids go to the same school and you run into each other at pick up time. A clearly harmful dual relationship is a sexual relationship between a clinician and client. A good rule of thumb to live by before entering any ethical dual relationship is to proceed with caution, consult others, and review ethical guidelines. Always make sure informed consent is also reviewed prior to a change in the therapeutic relationship. For example, if a client invites you to see them perform in a play, is it okay to go? The answer is yes, buuuut, you must be clear on boundaries with the consumer. You are not attending as a friend and therefore should not engage in any violations of previously set boundaries, more specifically, it is not okay to carpool to the event or to go out for drinks afterwards. The types of dual relationships include social, professional, treatment-professional, business, communal, institutional, forensic, supervisory, sexual, internet, and the very rare adoption. Many dual relationships are easily avoidable and even easier to avoid in large metropolitan areas. The three we will focus on are professional, communal, and on the internet. In the next few posts, they will be defined, then guidelines for ethical dual relationships will be addressed, and finally a case example will be presented and ethical considerations are up for discussion.