(a) In General.      
        (1) Licensees shall refrain from providing services when they know or should know that their personal problems or a lack of objectivity are likely to impair their competency or harm a patient, client, colleague, student, supervisee, research participant, or other person with whom they have a professional relationship.       
        (2) Licensees shall seek professional assistance for any personal problems, including alcohol or substance abuse likely to impair their competency.       
        (3) Licensees shall not exploit persons over whom they have supervisory evaluative, or other authority such as students, supervisees, employees, research participants, and clients or patients.       
        (4) A licensee shall conduct the practice of psychology with the best interest of a patient, client, supervisee, student, or research participant in mind.       
      (b) Dual Relationships.      
        (1) A licensee shall refrain from entering into a dual relationship with a client, patient, supervisee, student, group, organization, or any other party if such a relationship is likely to impair the licensee's objectivity, prevent the licensee from providing competent psychological services, or exploit or otherwise cause harm to the other party.       
        (2) A licensee shall refrain from entering into a professional relationship where personal, financial, or other relationships are likely to impair the licensee's objectivity or pose an unreasonable risk of harm to a patient or client.       
        (3) Licensees shall withdraw from any professional or non-professional relationship if they would be precluded from entering the relationship under this rule. If a licensee has reason to believe that a harmful dual relationship exists or may arise, the licensee shall take reasonable steps to ensure the wellbeing and best interest of the affected person is placed ahead of the licensee's interests. Reasonable steps include obtaining professional consultation or assistance, to determine whether the existing or potential dual relationship is likely to impair the licensee's objectivity or cause harm to the other party.       
        (4) Licensees shall not provide psychological services to a person with whom they have had a sexual or dating relationship.       
        (5) Licensees shall not terminate psychological services with a person in order to have a sexual or dating relationship with that person. Licensees do not terminate psychological services with a person in order to have a sexual or dating relationship with individuals who the licensee knows to be the parents, guardians, spouses, significant others, children, or siblings of the client.       
     Source Note:        The provisions of this §465.13 adopted to be effective October 7, 2020, 45 TexReg 7013; amended to be effective February 27, 2022, 47 TexReg 770