Texas LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) Jurisprudence Exam

An LPC shall NOT engage in sexual contact with or sexual exploitation of a person who is...

1. A current client

2. An immediate family member of a former client

3. The spouse of a colleague

4. A student of the licensee at an educational institution where services are provided

The correct answer is: A current client

The correct answer is that an LPC shall NOT engage in sexual contact with or sexual exploitation of a person who is a current client. This is critical to maintaining professional boundaries and ethical standards within the counselor-client relationship. The ethical guidelines set forth by the Texas LPC Board are designed to protect clients from exploitation and harm, recognizing that the inherent power differential in the therapeutic relationship can make consent problematic. Engaging in such behavior can undermine the integrity of the counseling profession and damage the therapeutic alliance. While the other options involve relationships that could potentially pose ethical dilemmas, they do not carry the same unequivocal prohibition as engaging with a current client. For instance, immediate family members of a former client, a colleague's spouse, or students being served in an educational setting may present situations that require careful consideration and ethical judgment, but the lasting prohibition against sexual contact firmly applies to current clients based on the inherent vulnerabilities present in that relationship.