In the category of Professional Orientation & Ethical Practice on the National Counselor Examination (NCE), the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE), or another counseling exam, you’ll want an understanding of different ethical codes and best practices.
This video specifically covers bartering as a therapist. We review the American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics, specifically codes A.10.e. and A.6.b. to help guide our discussions.
Before we get too far into things, let’s define bartering. According to the American Counseling Association (ACA), bartering is “accepting goods or services from clients in exchange for counseling services.” (American Counseling Association, 2014, p. 20)
An example of this might be a client who does interior painting of office buildings. In exchange for a number of therapy sessions, they re-paint your therapy office.
The first question we need to answer is, is bartering with a client ethical? The short answer is yes, but know that bartering is often discouraged.
Let’s look at the ACA’s Code of Ethics for a bit more info. The ACA’s code A.10.e. says that “counselors may barter only if the bartering does not result in exploitation or harm, if the client requests it, and if such arrangements are an accepted practice among professionals in the community. Counselors consider the cultural implications of bartering and discuss relevant concerns with clients and document such agreements in a clear written contract.” (American Counseling Association, 2014, p. 5)
But, that’s not the only code that applies here. We can look at code A.6.b. for additional information to consider. This code advises that “counselors consider the risks and benefits of extending current counseling relationships beyond conventional parameters. Examples include attending a client’s formal ceremony (e.g., a wedding/commitment ceremony or graduation), purchasing a service or product provided by a client (excepting unrestricted bartering), and visiting a client’s ill family member in the hospital. In extending these boundaries, counselors take appropriate professional precautions such as informed consent, consultation, supervision, and documentation to ensure that judgment is not impaired and no harm occurs.” (American Counseling Association, 2014, p. 6)
As you are probably noticing, there are many considerations that need to be thought through when considering if bartering with a client is appropriate. Perhaps one of the most obvious of these is that the relationship now has another aspect to it that needs to be considered. In fact, it might be more appropriate to say that there are many more aspects to consider. Let’s look at this from the perspective of both the therapist and the client.
Therapist Perspective: If we think about bartering from the point of view of the therapist, one of the first things that might come to mind is, what if you are unhappy with the service the client provides? If we continue the example of the client painting the therapy office, what if the client spills paint and destroy the carpet? Or gets paint on furniture and these need to be replaced? This brings up questions like, who would pay for this? Would you be able to contain any feeling about the to not have it impact your therapeutic approach with the client? Not only that, but what if the client doesn’t complete the work they said they would? How would you handle this situation? Is this something that was covered in the contract?
Client Perspective: Now, let’s look at this from the client’s point of view. Imagine that they spill and carpet or furniture needs to be replaced, how might this impact them? Would they have guilt about this that could impact their progress in therapy? Might they feel obligated to pay to replace the furniture or carpet, and could this amplify or cause any financial hardship for them?
There are other things to consider from the client perspective also. As we know, we’re not always the right fit for every person. What if the client feels you aren’t the right fit for them? If they decide for some reason they don’t want to continue therapy, this could lead to more questions. Such as, would you be responsible to pay them for the service if they do not want to continue with therapy? How much would you be responsible for financially if this is the case?
From what we’ve covered so far, you might be thinking there is no reason to ever barter with a client. As mentioned, bartering is often discouraged, and that has probably been made clear. However, there are reasons to consider bartering with a client. Let’s take a look at those now!
Cultural Considerations: First, bartering with clients is something that might be more common in some cultures. Therefore, some clients may expect bartering to be a means to accessing various services, such as therapy. Considering cultural impacts is an important part of considering if bartering with a client is appropriate.
Limited Resources: Second, recognize that bartering is a way for some clients to be able to gain access to counseling. We need to be aware that we do not all have the same resources. Therefore, bartering might be a way for some to access therapy that they would not otherwise be able to access due to limited resources.
As we’ve discussed, there is a lot to consider when deciding if bartering with a client is appropriate. As a review, here are some of the best practices and things to consider in situations like this.
