Redeeming the Peer Bond: Navigating Dual Relationships in Recovery Ethically

By Lucas Bennett

Introduction: An Uncomfortable Truth

In most professional circles, the idea of forming personal relationships with clients is taboo—rightly so in many cases. Psychologists, therapists, and physicians operate under ethical frameworks that emphasize distance to prevent exploitation and maintain clinical objectivity. But what happens when that clinical framework meets the deeply personal, highly communal world of addiction recovery—especially in twelve-step fellowships like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous?

The truth is, in addiction recovery, peer-to-peer connection is not only common but vital. And yes, that includes dual relationships—those complex overlaps where a person might be both a counselor and a sponsor, or a clinician and a fellow member of the same anonymous meeting. While this raises valid ethical questions, it also reveals a much deeper truth: healing from addiction is not merely a clinical process, but a spiritual and relational one.

The Nature of Recovery: A Culture of Mutual Aid

Twelve-step recovery is rooted in the idea that addicts help addicts. From its origins in 1935 with Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith, Alcoholics Anonymous set the precedent for peer support as the engine of recovery. The entire system is built on shared experience, honesty, and spiritual growth through fellowship (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2022).

This creates a fundamentally different ethical landscape than, say, a licensed psychologist treating a trauma survivor in private practice. In recovery, proximity, not distance, often leads to trust. Unlike clinical therapy, twelve-step recovery encourages vulnerability, mutual disclosure, and even social interaction outside formal settings.

When Peers Are Also Professionals

The waters get murkier when the line between peer and professional blurs—say, when a substance abuse counselor also attends twelve-step meetings. Is it ethical for your counselor to be in the same meeting? What if they share openly about their past, sponsor others, or even become your sponsor?

According to the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC), counselors are expected to avoid dual relationships that impair professional judgment or exploit the client. However, NAADAC also recognizes that “many professionals in recovery work in the same communities where they live,” and therefore recommends "transparency and mutual agreement" rather than blanket avoidance (NAADAC, 2021).

Dr. Steven Scanlan, board-certified in addiction medicine, has noted that “authenticity and self-disclosure, when appropriate, can build rapport and model vulnerability” (Scanlan, 2010). This aligns closely with the values of twelve-step programs, where shared experience is not a boundary violation—it’s the entire point.

A Testimony of Transformation

Few stories better illustrate the ethical and spiritual power of peer-to-peer connection than that of Dr. Evan Massey, MD, Vice President of A Vision For You Inc and alumnus of the organization’s Surrender Program.

“If my friend from an anonymous fellowship had not reached out to me as the director of an addiction treatment service, I probably wouldn’t have got help,” says Massey. “Ironically, today I’m the Vice President of that same service. I like to think my story gives hope to newcomers.”

Massey’s experience challenges traditional assumptions about therapeutic boundaries. His recovery and eventual leadership came not through clinical detachment, but through relational courage—someone stepping over a line that, while risky in other contexts, was exactly what he needed to get well.

The Case for Dual Relationships (When Done Right)

There are genuine risks involved in dual relationships, including blurred boundaries, dependency, and power imbalances. But these risks are not unique to recovery—they’re human issues. What makes peer bonds in recovery unique is the potential for spiritual mentorship and mutual accountability.

A study in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment found that peer-led support is correlated with increased abstinence rates and stronger program engagement (Tracy & Wallace, 2016). These benefits hinge on trust—and that trust often stems from overlapping experiences.

When carefully managed, dual relationships can honor both ethics and empathy. The keys are structure, honesty, and discernment—qualities that are also vital to staying sober.

Counterargument: The Clinical Case Against Dual Relationships

Critics of dual relationships raise important concerns rooted in psychology, ethics, and legal liability. The American Psychological Association (APA) warns that dual relationships can lead to exploitation, impaired objectivity, and difficulty maintaining professional judgment (APA, 2017). Especially in cases involving trauma or co-occurring mental illness, these boundaries are in place to protect vulnerable clients.

Some opponents argue that the power differential in counselor-client relationships inherently makes personal involvement inappropriate. Even in peer-led programs, the risk of emotional dependency or boundary confusion can be high—particularly in early sobriety when individuals are emotionally fragile.

Furthermore, professional liability becomes a concern. If a dual relationship were to result in relapse or perceived harm, the legal implications for a treatment center or provider could be significant. This is why many agencies adopt rigid no-contact or no-dual-role policies to avoid even the appearance of impropriety (Zur Institute, 2022).

These are not small concerns, and those of us who support peer-driven models must take them seriously. Ethical peer support requires safeguards—not sentimentalism.

Best Practices for Navigating the Grey Area

So how does a professional in recovery ethically manage dual relationships? Here are some guiding principles:

1. Transparency - Let clients know if you attend the same meetings and agree on boundaries in advance.

2. Consent and Choice - A client should never feel obligated to attend a meeting just because their counselor is present.

3. Role Clarity - Keep the roles of counselor and sponsor separate. Don’t sponsor clients, and don’t counsel sponsees.

4. Accountability - vSeek supervision or peer consultation when managing dual roles. Ethics aren’t just personal—they’re communal.

5. Spiritual Humility - Remember, in the rooms of recovery, everyone is equal. The titles fall away. You're just another miracle in progress.

Conclusion: Reclaiming the Peer Bond

To the outsider, dual relationships may seem fraught with risk. But in the world of recovery, they’re often the very relationships that catalyze healing. As long as there is humility, clarity, and accountability, peer-to-peer bonds—yes, even between counselors and clients—can be ethical, life-giving, and spiritually powerful.

Addiction thrives in isolation. Recovery, by contrast, thrives in community. It is not clinical distance that keeps people sober—it is relational closeness, forged in truth and sustained in grace.

Let us not allow the ethics of other fields to silence the one thing that has always made recovery possible: we do this together, or not at all.

Works Cited

• Alcoholics Anonymous. The Start and Growth of A.A. 2022. www.aa.org/the-start-and-growth-of-aa.

• American Psychological Association. Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, 2017. www.apa.org/ethics/code

• NAADAC: The Association for Addiction Professionals. Code of Ethics, 2021. www.naadac.org/ethics

• Scanlan, Steven R. "Suboxone: Concerns Behind the Miracle." Addiction Professional, vol. 8, no. 6, Nov.-Dec. 2010, pp. 28+

• Tracy, Kathlene, and Samantha Wallace. “Benefits of Peer Support Groups in the Treatment of Addiction.” Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, vol. 61, 2016, pp. 1–7

• Zur Institute. “Dual Relationships in Counseling.” 2022. www.zurinstitute.com

• Massey, Evan, MD. Personal interview. 4 June 2025.

• ChatGPT. "Dual Relationships in Recovery.” Chat Conversation with Lucas Bennett, 5 June 2025. OpenAI, chat.openai.com.