******CONFIDENTIALITY, BOUNDARIES & ETHICS IN COUNSELING******
April 17th, 2020
Setting boundaries keeps the integrity of the counselor-client relationship. I have found that the number one enemy to maintaining boundaries is the lack of awareness of one's own wounds and triggers, so we subconsciously get out 'needs met' via our clients, and that's when the lines get blurred. Even if we don't have underlying problems, giving of ourselves out of the confines of the session can be detrimental. Just to be clear, “A boundary may be defined as the “edge” of appropriate professional behavior, transgression of which involves the therapist stepping out of the clinical role or breaching the clinical role."(Aravind,Krishnaram &Thasneem, 2012).
1. Accepting gifts from patients, phone calls, allowing patients run large balances, allowing non-emergency meetings outside of the office or office hours, lowering fees, entering into another role.......these are just a few boundary crossings and violations (Dalzell, n.d.), that can cause serious consequences like fear, rage, guilt, blame, identity confusion, loss of job, license, loss of peers, burnout, loss of personal family time, loss of professional relationships (Dalzell, n.d.). The counselor can set boundaries towards the end of the session without making it sound like a command. For instance, the counselor can offer a general 247 hot line, and tell the patient to call the hotline if a crisis should occur off working hours. This is creating a boundary. The counselor should not wear seductive or revealing clothing, language used should be formal and not abusive and should certainly not have a double meaning (Aravind, Krishnaram & Thasneem, 2012). Be friendly, but don't be your patient's friend.
I have found myself responding with emoji's like yellow hearts, flowers, etc. A new client found me online and started her sentence with, "I am sorry to barge in on you.....". The fact that she used the word "Barge" meant she knew she was overstepping. I am also trying to stick to first name bases, rather than, "Dear", "My dear", "Honey" etc. These endearments are acceptable in church settings and personal friendships, but to avoid a double meaning, it's best to use titles (Nurse, Dr. Rev, M'am, Sir, etc). Also, "Remind yourself of all you are doing for your client (Tyrrell, 2019). Few people get quality attention. Don't overdo what you're already doing.
2. I am a youth pastor in my church. One of my members was quite close to me. I already broke boundaries by allowing her braid my hair, though I paid her. I attended her graduation, and I also visited her and her mom quite often. A few nights whenever I'd do so much work in the Bronx, and I wouldn't feel like going all the way to my house, so I would sleep in her parlor. I noticed she began to disrespect me, and stopped replying my texts, though she was still friendly at church. She was leaving for the University, and we already made plans that I will join her mother in travelling across state to escort her to school. A week to the trip, I sent a text to her and her mom stating I wouldn't be travelling with them but wish her the best. Being that I am a pastor and in the public eye with my music and organization, boundaries is hard but necessary for me. I also make it a point to keep my sessions confidential.
Aravind, V. K., Krishnaram, V. D., & Thasneem, Z. (2012, January). Boundary crossings and violations in clinical settings. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3361837/
Dalzell, H. (n.d.). Boundaries in Mental Health Treatment. Retrieved April 17, 2020, from http://www.lacounseling.org/images/lca/Boundaries in Counseling.pdf
Tyrrell M. (2019, March 22). 3 Firm Ways To Set Therapy Boundaries [Video file] Retrieved https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHdXCHnZo3c&feature=youtu.be
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