Accepting a client's invitation to attend her graduation ceremony: the ethical code is clear that this is wrong. True or False?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not specified
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (A)

Maintaining professional boundaries is central to ethical counseling practice. Accepting a client's invitation to attend her graduation crosses a personal boundary and creates a dual relationship that can influence how you think about the client and how the client experiences the therapeutic relationship. Even though the event is positive, it can blur the lines between your professional role and a social role, which may alter power dynamics, affect objectivity, or raise concerns about confidentiality and favoritism. For these reasons, the ethical guidance commonly viewed by exam standards treats this as inappropriate, making the statement true.