About the event
This training is designed to gain an understanding of the concepts of Boundaries both in our personal lives and professional roles. Boundaries help us to judge what is acceptable and unacceptable in daily interactions. Boundaries are our protection from pain and harm. Respecting other’s boundaries helps us from causing harm to others either intentionally or unintentionally.
Boundaries can be seen as an invisible filter in which one uses to control what goes in and what goes out. Therapists are responsible for both the safety of the therapeutic relationship and the client and therefore responsible for protecting both the client’s boundaries and therapist’s boundaries. Boundary crossings are anything that steps outside the traditional setting of therapy. When a therapist crosses a boundary for the benefit of the client and therapy, it may be a way to enhance the therapeutic relationship. When therapists’ cross boundaries for their own personal gain, misusing their power, it is a boundary violation and unethical. A boundary crossing that many therapists use to create a bond with their client is self-disclosure. Many times, in addictions therapy, a therapist who is in recovery may share his/her story with the client. This may allow the client to relate to the therapist and feel he/she will not be judged. The safety and benefit of the client should always be the priority when deciding to cross boundaries.
Objectives:
• Examine and Identify the types of boundaries (Physical, Emotional/Spiritual, Intellectual, Material, Time, Sexual)
• Demonstrate an understanding of boundary characteristics such as open, rigid or flexible, that create Healthy vs Unhealthy Boundaries.
• Distinguish between a Boundary Crossing and a Boundary Violation and when it is considered either a negative or positive undertaking
• Determine the extent and what information therapists should self-disclose as well as the purpose of why they are disclosing.
• Recognizing the importance of role modeling healthy boundaries for the safety and benefit of the client.