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This study explores how psychotherapists in Flanders (Belgium) manage such feelings, by conducting both a survey (using 105 of 786 respondents for analyses, as they reported romantic feelings) and focus groups (with a total of 36 participants). Results show that most therapists never consider starting a romantic relationship with a client. They reflect profoundly on their feelings, dwell on possible consequences, while maintaining strict boundaries. Although therapists themselves highly recommend referring the client to a colleague if feelings become too intense, this rarely happens in practice. Most therapists consider talking about their romantic and sexual feelings towards clients as something very important, but only a third have disclosed their feelings in supervision, peer-supervision, or in personal therapy. Therapists indicate there is still hesitance about this due to fear of condemnation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/10790632221098357","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,5]],"date-time":"2022-05-05T06:19:30Z","timestamp":1651731570000},"page":"263-287","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Managing Romantic and Sexual Feelings Towards Clients in the Psychotherapy Room in Flanders (Belgium)"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"35","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4707-9380","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lara","family":"Vesentini","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group (MENT), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Hubert","family":"Van Puyenbroeck","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group (MENT), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Dirk","family":"De Wachter","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group (MENT), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Frieda","family":"Matthys","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group (MENT), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Johan","family":"Bilsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group (MENT), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-10790632221098357","volume-title":"The principles of medical ethics, with annotations especially applicable to psychiatry","author":"American Psychiatric Association","year":"2013"},{"key":"bibr2-10790632221098357","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/amp0000102"},{"key":"bibr3-10790632221098357","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118674239.ch11"},{"issue":"2","key":"bibr4-10790632221098357","first-page":"119","volume":"43","author":"Aviv A.","year":"2006","journal-title":"Israel Journal of Psychiatry"},{"key":"bibr5-10790632221098357","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jclp.22068"},{"key":"bibr6-10790632221098357","first-page":"17","volume-title":"Multiple relationships in psychotherapy and counseling. 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