Included below are some highlights from the ethical codes within which I work. See here for the full codes.

Code of Ethics for Embodied Counselling (no erotic touch) 

• Somatic Practitioners recognize the importance of consent, agency and choice in all work with groups and individuals. At no time shall a client be required or coerced to participate in any activity, event or exercise.
• Somatic Practitioners include education about consent and choice and actively create learning environments where clients are empowered to exercise these skills.
• Somatic Practitioners agree to obtain clients’ consent and to act with concern for their safety, growth, and awareness of boundaries.
• Somatic Practitioners may use physical touch for the purposes of supporting the client’s regulation and / or supporting the client to contact and connect with their felt experience. If Somatic Practitioners use touch, they touch consciously and with the intention of serving the well-being of the client within the parameters of pre-established agreements.
• Somatic Practitioners agree not to engage in sexual or romantic interactions, or sexual or erotic touch, with clients or students, in or out of session.
• Somatic Practitioners agree not to begin any other form of sexual contact with their clients for a minimum of two (2) years after any professional services have terminated. 

Code of Ethics for Sexological Bodywork (erotic touch) 

• Practitioners recognize the importance of consent, agency and choice in all somatic sex education with groups and individuals.  At no time shall a client be required or coerced to participate in any activity, event or exercise.
• Practitioners agree to obtain informed verbal and ongoing consent from clients before engaging in any form of bodywork. Practitioners agree to act with concern for their safety, growth, and awareness of boundaries.
• Practitioners may use physical touch in an educational context.  If they do so, they touch consciously and with the intention of serving the well-being of the client within the parameters of pre-established agreements.
• Practitioners acknowledge the importance of maintaining agreed boundaries.  Boundaries are agreed at the beginning of the session and will not be expanded in that session.
• Practitioners are conscious that, and make their clients conscious that, Sexological Bodywork sessions will neither fulfil the practitioners, nor their client’s desire for sexual connection.
• In individual sessions practitioners remain clothed when touching their clients and erotic touch is unidirectional, practitioner to client.
• Practitioners agree not to begin any other form of sexual contact with their clients for a minimum of one (1) year after any professional Sexological Bodywork services (hands-on or otherwise) have terminated.
• Professional protocol includes the use of medical-grade examination gloves, quality lubricants and appropriate disinfecting methods.