Why do some Counselors and Therapists abuse their Clients?
Helping professionals can hurt their clients in many ways – usually with good intentions – during marriage counseling or marital therapy. Here are some traits that our clients have described: • Triangulation – Naive counselors may join a power game between couples or business partners and support one partner over the other – damaging the partners’ ability to solve problems together. • Boredom – They use their clients as a source of entertainment. They may encourage dramatic discussions and mock fights, although such sessions are often traumatic for couples. • Authority – They enjoy giving orders and commands. They may instruct a couple to separate or stay together. They may act as if they can decide what a couple should want. They may say, “Your only chance is to xxx”. If the couple follow such instructions, they may stay together in great unhappiness, or separate needlessly. Naive and obedient clients may not resist harmful instructions from an authority. • Parental – They use their c
