I follow a few therapists on Tumblr (mostly young ones that are still being supervised, so this could be why this position is so firm), and with all the talk of boundaries around here lately, I thought I'd post what this once T posted. Thoughts?
Quote:
Boundaries are tough in general, and they get even tougher in the context of something as intimate as therapy. In order to define boundaries in therapy, I often compare the therapeutic relationship to the relationship one might have with their dentist or doctor. If it would be weird for your dentist to do it, it’s weird to do it as a therapist too. For instance, a dentist doesn’t call a patient up randomly to ask if your teeth are okay. And though it may seem more unclear, it would be a boundary violation for a therapist to call up randomly to ask about a client’s feelings.
Even more than the rules however, is each individual person’s feelings of comfort. Hugs at discharge for instance are a real sticky spot. Some staff feel fine with that, others don’t and depending on the age of the client and the situation there may not be a really clear line about whether or not it’s okay. I suggest that any time staff are confronted with a boundary issue, they go with the most conservative response. If the dentist rule says they shouldn’t do something but they feel like it’s okay, they still shouldn’t do it. Or on the flip side, if a dentist would do it but the staff doesn’t feel comfortable, they shouldn’t do it. Always air on the side of the most conservative boundary
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