Therapists take all reasonable steps to avoid harm to their clients as a result of the therapeutic process. Therapists faced with situations which extend beyond the boundaries of their competence should seek supervision and consider referral to other more appropriately qualified professionals. In the event of harm resulting from therapy the therapist must take responsibility for restitution. Professional indemnity should be considered in this context. Therapists promote autonomy and encourage clients to make responsible decisions on their own behalf.
Therapists consider the social context of their connections to others.
Therapists are responsible for setting and maintaining professional boundaries within the therapy relationship. Therapists must not exploit clients, past or present, in financial, sexual, emotional or any other ways. Therapists will not accept or offer payment for referrals, or engage in any financial transactions, apart from negotiating the ordinary fee charged for therapy. Sexual relations between clients and therapists can never be acceptable and constitute unethical behaviour. This is not restricted to sexual intercourse and includes any form of physical contact, whether initiated by the client or the therapist, which has as its purpose some form of sexual gratification, or which may be reasonably construed as having that purpose.