Boundaries Issues in the therapeutic system

Running Head: BOUNDARIES ISSUES

BOUNDARIES ISSUES 5

Boundaries Issues

Professional boundaries are elements within the therapeutic system that define the limits or \\\\\\\"edge\\\\\\\" of proper behavior on the part of a psychotherapist within therapeutic settings. The basic idea here is: emphasis on the key elements of the client-therapist relationship’s professional nature cultivates an environment of predictability and safety, facilitating the client’s ability to make the most of treatment received (Gabbard, 2005). Professional boundaries constitute structural facets of the therapeutic relationship which enable therapist interactions with spontaneity, compassion, and understanding, and within particular conditions which generate a safe clinical environment.

Flexibility during the conceptualization and implementation of professional boundaries results in effective differentiation between crossing boundaries and violating them. Violation of boundaries entails non-sexual or sexual transgressions which potentially harm or abuse patients. They are generally repetitive, with the therapist normally discouraging their exploration (Gabbard, 2005). On the other hand, boundaries are said to be crossed when therapists engage in nonthreatening, non-egregious, and probably helpful breaches. These can usually be discussed in therapy and are normally carried out in isolation. A few boundary issues, together with appropriate intervention approaches for addressing them, have been outlined below.

Issue

Boundary Concern

Intervention Strategy

Meeting Location

Psychotherapy is normally carried out within a clinical setting (be it a hospital or the therapist’s independent office). Arranging to conduct a session someplace other than the aforementioned locations might cause the client to question the meeting’s purpose (Gabbard, 2005).

Sessions planned at any unusual site ought to be covered under a carefully planned therapeutic strategy formulated in collaboration with a supervisor or consultant (Zur, 2007).

Gifts and Money

A psychotherapist who doesn’t demand payment despite the accumulation of large bills or stops charging the client for his/her services might convey a problematical message to clients.

Clients treated free-of-charge might feel they aren’t entitled to express any disappointment or anger before the therapist.

Thus, not demanding one’s payment or treating a client for free is an indicator of probable boundary issues (Zur, 2007).

In such circumstances, it is acceptable to politely accept small gifts, particularly ones hand-made by the client or those that don’t cost the client too much. But the therapist ought to discuss the meaning of the gift and of its acceptance by the therapist, with the client.

Self-disclosure

Self-disclosure might prove harmful to clients in case a transformation occurs in the client-therapist relationship’s asymmetry.

A therapist ought not to share details of their private life which may prove burdensome to a client. However, in some cases, providing some superficial details might prove useful.

Non-sexual physical contact

Within the context of routine clinical psychotherapy, a handshake is the maximum acceptable physical contact between therapist and client (Zur, 2007).

In case of the occurrence of a tragedy in the client’s life, the natural response by a fellow human being would be to return the hug the client him/herself has initiated.

Here, an issue crops up in the event of a therapist-initiated kiss or hug as one cannot know beforehand how a client interprets or feels after this overture. The client’s reaction might differ significantly from what the therapist intended in the first place.