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I give my G.P Shlach Monos every year. I feel it is a way to show my appreciation and I say so!
Please think about the following:
According to the Code of Ethics your therapist is NOT ALLOWED to accept a gift from a client or client’s family. The therapist faces sanctions upto and including loss of license. Mishloach Manos IS considered a gift, therefore if your therapist is a licensed professional and he accepts the gift it could ruin his/her professional life. Sending a Thank You card or a personalized bracha from you is no problem.
Artchill, that sounds a little harsh. It might be “inappropriate” for someone to give a therapist something overly personal, ostentatious, or expensive, but to bake some hamantashen and add in a bottle of wine is not going to get someone’s license suspended for accepting it. Could you please cite me the exact source for your Code of Ethics (I thought that was the Shulchan Aruch), as I would like to look up the law in its entirety.
Mishloach Manos is technically a religious function/activity/obligation rather than a “gift.”
“Despite the prevalent belief to the contrary, there are no code of ethics or guidelines of major organizations that specifically ban gifts in therapy (Zur, 2007). Except for the AAMT, ACA and NAADAC Codes of Ethics, neither the major US professional organizations’ (i.e., APA, ApA, CAMFT, NASW, NBCC), nor Canadian (i.e., CPA, CCA) nor Australian (i.e., APS, AASW, AIWCW, PACFA) codes of ethics mention the topic of gifts.”
I wouldn’t worry about your therapist losing his license if you give him some cookies and juice.
This was the strongest language against gifts I was able to find, though most codes of ethics don’t ban them at all:
The AAMFT Code of Ethics mentions the term ‘gift’ in Principle III of Professional Competence and Integrity, section 3.10, in which it states, “Marriage and family therapists do not give to or receive from clients (a) gifts of substantial value or (b) gifts that impair the integrity or efficacy of the therapeutic relationship” (2001, Section III, Par. 10).
MY APOLOGIES:
When involved in setting policies and procedures, this was my recommendation. However, I was informed of the actual code of ethics states as follows:
Therapists understand the challenges of accepting gifts from clients and recognize that in some cultures, small gifts are a token of respect and gratitude. When determining whether to accept gifts from clients therapists take into account the cultural or community practice. They also take into account the motivation of the client giving gifts and the motivation of the therapist for accepting or declining the gifts.
I WAS WRONG!
It’s kosher but when running a business it is prudent to be extra machmir!!
Good Heart:
As a GENERAL rule:
School therapists, Guidance counselors, Educational psychologists=ACCEPT
Marriage and Family Therapists:OFTEN Accept
Mental Health Providers (MSW, PhD., MD’s) for people suffering from mental illness: OFTEN DECLINE
While they thank you for the thoughtfullness they OFTEN DECLINE out of abundance of caution. Therapists in the OFTEN DECLINE category are excellent candidates for a nice personal thank you card and an “In lieu of” card. It is NOTHING to do with the patient, it is simply too risky in this day and age. Please understand what is trying to be relayed.
The main thing is keep smiling and have faith in the Rebono Shel Olam!
Happy Purim!!
Why don’t you send ‘In lieu of’… sounds like a great idea, plus you’ll be helping some worthy organization that will greatly benefit from your donation.
It sounds like you answered your own question. If a Thank You card is not yet in place….neither is Mishloach Manos. Just send an ‘In lieu of’ card.
It’s the thought that counts.
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