What do you think a mental health professional would do if a patient of theirs was in love with them?

In love: They would not accept this information - as they are very professional. No if the feeling is mutual, before any further advancement you would have to be discharged, start seeing another professional, before both of you can pursue your dreams.

In love: If the professional is a psychotherapist, he/she can try helping patient identify & work through transference issues, so that therapy can progress & be productive.

Be straightforward: Professionals would recognize that patients aren't in love with them but are feeling attracted due to a host of factors, including the therapeutic relationship and the patient's own needs and imagination. Patients don't truly know the professional as a whole person apart from the professional role. Therefore, true love is not really possible. Professionals would make this clear and set limits.

"would" vs "should": Mental health professionals are people and "might" do many things: ignore it, exploit it, explore it, take pride in it, etc. What they "should" do is sensitively respect the patient's feelings while maintaining professional boundaries and clinical curiosity. Such feelings are very often due to transference; understanding the nature of the attraction can help a patient learn about themselves.