The client said for a long time she would avoid going out to her usual places in fear of seeing the social worker Photo / Stock Image 123RF
The client said for a long time she would avoid going out to her usual places in fear of seeing the social worker Photo / Stock Image 123RF
A social worker who began a relationship with a former client said the use of physical touch during their sessions was a "grounding" technique.
The social worker, who went on to leave her husband for the woman, has been found to be in breach of the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights by not maintaining appropriate boundaries with her former client.
A decision released today found the woman began seeing the social worker in March 2017 after self-referral through ACC to address "[various issues] and trauma of a recent bereavement".
The two women had 34 sessions in total between March 2017 and February 2018, some of which involved the client resting her head on the social worker's lap and shoulder while they were sitting on the couch together.
The social worker said she agreed to the instances of physical contact, which were requested by the client because physical contact was recognised as a valid "grounding" technique in therapy.
"'Touch therapy' or 'holding therapy' was a grounding technique for complex clients, particularly clients who had suffered abuse, to help them," she told the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC).
"This technique is now outdated and has been abandoned by most practitioners as it places the client and therapist at risk of dependency … It is not a technique I would ever use again."
The social worker told HDC that she began to feel uncomfortable with the physical contact, and after discussing it with her supervisor in November 2017, discontinued the use of physical contact.
In February 2018 the social worker went to the client's house after receiving texts from her saying that she had been drinking and was "feeling miserable".
That morning, the pair had a session and discussed the client feeling suicidal, so the social worker called mental health services who advised they didn't have the resources to attend to the incident. She decided to go herself.
The social worker described the client as being "very intoxicated" and saying "life was too hard and couldn't do it" so she called the police, crisis team and a friend of the client.
Following this, the social worker ended the therapy sessions with the client and advised her GP to find a new therapist.
The deputy HDC commissioner Dr Vanessa Caldwell said there was a clear power imbalance between the social worker and client during the relationship. Photo / Supplied
However, in May 2018 the women ran into each other after the social worker was "suffering the loss of a relative".
"[The client] saw I was very upset and suggested we go and have coffee ... she was very supportive of me."
The client told HDC the social worker "always instigated" spending time together and they saw each other "pretty much every day and sometimes more than once."
The client said the pair would lie on the couch together "spooning and watching movies" and in November 2018 they had sex, agreeing the next day that it wouldn't happen again.
In December 2018 the client went to the social worker's birthday celebration where the pair kissed twice, and over the Christmas period the social worker left her husband.
In February 2019 the social worker sought advice from her supervisor regarding her relationship with the client. Her supervisor suggested sending a letter and flowers, explaining the relationship had to end.
The women continued in a personal relationship for the rest of the year, despite two attempts from the social worker to end things.
The social worker said that she ended the friendship with the client in December 2019, but the client said she was the one who ended it in mid-2020.
In March 2021 the client made a complaint about the social worker to the Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB).
The client told HDC that initially she "loved the friendship", but understands "the damage and impact that [the] friendship has had on [her] mental and physical health".
"This continues to affect my life and gets in the way of my therapy."
She said for a long time she had to avoid her usual places in case she saw the social worker and had to end some friendships because the social worker had formed friendships with her friends.
The social worker told HDC she can see now how a friendship with a former client may be inappropriate due to an inherent power imbalance and was her responsibility to address and stop it.
The deputy HDC commissioner Dr Vanessa Caldwell found the social worker to be in breach of the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights for failing to comply with relevant standards, by not maintaining appropriate boundaries with her former client.
"In particular, I consider that there was a clear power imbalance given the circumstances in which the therapeutic relationship started and ended, and there was clear evidence of the client's vulnerabilities during their professional relationship."
Dr Caldwell recommended that the social worker undertake further training on maintaining professional boundaries with clients and provide HDC with detailed written evidence of reflections on boundary issues with clients.
The social worker is also to provide a written apology to the client and a review is to be considered of the social worker's competence.
The social worker now meets fortnightly with her supervisor and weekly with her therapist and has also changed her client group to another age group.
WHERE TO GET HELP • Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7) • Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7) • Youth services: (06) 3555 906 • Youthline: 0800 376 633 • What's Up: 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) • Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7) • Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155 • Helpline: 1737 If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111 (edited)
