'Tis the Season--Should We Accept the Gift from Our Client?

Exam: You may have a question on the exam that relates to receiving and accepting a gift from a client. Pay close attention to what information is given in the scenario in determining your answer. 

Real life: Although it is not considered unethical for mental health professionals to accept small gifts, your specific agency or setting may have policies regarding this. Know these policies and act accordingly.

Is it unethical to accept a gift from a client? It is not necessarily a yes/no answer...especially with a question you may find on your exam. 

Accepting a small gift from a client does not usually violate ethical obligations, but even in this case, a mental health professional would want to consider the client’s motives for giving the gift before accepting it…

Is the gift being given as a token of appreciation? Is it being given because they are pleased with services? Is it a client's cultural norm to give a gift? Are they assuming the gift is the payment for the services they receive from you? These types of questions would need to be answered before accepting a gift. Not that you would necessarily directly ask these questions, but you would want to understand the client’s intentions for giving the gift. Factors you want to consider before accepting a gift include:

• The culture meaning of the gift-giving for the client

• The monetary value of the gift (Is it a candle or a baked good, or is it a $100 Amazon gift card)

• The client’s motivation for giving the gift

• The mental health professional’s own reasons for accepting or declining the gift

• The stage of the therapeutic relationship

So the correct answer won’t necessarily either be a “yes” or “no” but instead look for the one that explores the meaning or intention behind the gift.