Some simple guidelines I follow in order to maintain clarity and safety within my therapeutic relationships.
Ask for consent frequently– Help your clients to maintain their own boundaries by asking permission frequently as you utilise different techniques or inquire into different aspects of their experience.
Stay in one room - when a therapeutic relationship exists in one physical location it helps define and contain the experience.
Refrain from physical contact such as hugs – physical contact can be very confusing or even frightening for some clients.
Time keeping – Try not to let the session go any longer than ten minutes over the scheduled time.
Time and day – Seeing clients out of expected working hours can compromise our safety and our boundaries.
Support between sessions - Be clear about your availability for support in between sessions.
Make sure you get paid a fair wage – Set your price for full fee paying and concession sessions and don’t make exceptions.
Be clear about cancellations and payment – Make your policy clear from the outset and stick to it.
Be mindful about what you wear- Consider what you clothing is communicating.
Get insurance and join your professional association – Being part of an official body can bring an important sense of legitimacy.
Get regular supervision – A supervisor needs to be someone you can trust when you are feeling unsure or vulnerable about any aspect of your work.
If you feel even slightly uncomfortable – about something that is happening in your work even if you don’t have any words to explain it talk to your supervisor or a team member about it. Nothing is too small or silly to pay attention to.
Have a conversation about what will happen if you meet outside of the therapy space – I try to refrain from anything more than saying hello.
Help your clients maintain their emotional safety – If you feel that your client is at risk of revealing too much to you in a session or too early in the relationship help them to remain safe by voicing your concern and helping them to stop.
Never agree to keep a secret from other members of your client’s treatment team – except within the legal bounds of confidentiality.
Avoid doing therapy with friends and associates – Be cautious about doing therapy with friends of friends as well.
Be cautious with self disclosure - just because you feel safe sharing something personal about yourself with your client does not mean that they will feel safe hearing it.
See my next post for more about personal disclosure.
Stay in one room - when a therapeutic relationship exists in one physical location it helps define and contain the experience.
Refrain from physical contact such as hugs – physical contact can be very confusing or even frightening for some clients.
Time keeping – Try not to let the session go any longer than ten minutes over the scheduled time.
Time and day – Seeing clients out of expected working hours can compromise our safety and our boundaries.
Support between sessions - Be clear about your availability for support in between sessions.
Make sure you get paid a fair wage – Set your price for full fee paying and concession sessions and don’t make exceptions.
Be clear about cancellations and payment – Make your policy clear from the outset and stick to it.
Be mindful about what you wear- Consider what you clothing is communicating.
Get insurance and join your professional association – Being part of an official body can bring an important sense of legitimacy.
Get regular supervision – A supervisor needs to be someone you can trust when you are feeling unsure or vulnerable about any aspect of your work.
If you feel even slightly uncomfortable – about something that is happening in your work even if you don’t have any words to explain it talk to your supervisor or a team member about it. Nothing is too small or silly to pay attention to.
Have a conversation about what will happen if you meet outside of the therapy space – I try to refrain from anything more than saying hello.
Help your clients maintain their emotional safety – If you feel that your client is at risk of revealing too much to you in a session or too early in the relationship help them to remain safe by voicing your concern and helping them to stop.
Never agree to keep a secret from other members of your client’s treatment team – except within the legal bounds of confidentiality.
Avoid doing therapy with friends and associates – Be cautious about doing therapy with friends of friends as well.
Be cautious with self disclosure - just because you feel safe sharing something personal about yourself with your client does not mean that they will feel safe hearing it.
See my next post for more about personal disclosure.
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