It has occurred to me reading posts here that the issue of boundaries really gets to people and people seem to have very strongly held views about the issue. So I thought maybe a general discussion would be helpful.

I myself don't find myself too concerned with boundaries. I don't even like the word. It means a wall of some kind in some sense. It doesn't seem to be a human type word.

I prefer "respect" or "honor" or other words that convey that you know where you stand and what is appropriate and do so out of genuine regard for the other person and for yourself.

But then again I might just be a softy Zen type that doesn't have strongly defined lines that I draw.

So I'm wondering how people conceive of boundaries, mainly in therapy of course, though what we do in therapy also has influences beyond that, either from the past or in the present. Also what are the views about how the therapist needs to set boundaries, that I think is implicit in our understanding of what we do as well.