What are some signs that a therapist may have poor boundaries with their clients?
16.06.2025 06:24
Obsessing about clients outside of work hours.
Struggling with fantasies of deeper connections with clients, whether sexual or parental or other intense or intimate relationships beyond psychotherapy.
Failing to mention the client in supervision/consultation, out of fear the supervisor/consultant will advise return to ordinary healthy boundaries.
Is it ok to be spanked by your parents if you are not in bed in your set bedtime?
Eager anticipation (or anxious anticipation) of the next session in ways that distract.
Serious disappointment when the client cancels a session.
General Introduction to Boundaries from Panahi Counseling:
Do you know a good lawyer joke?
Disclosing feelings, fantasies, and experiences to the client in ways not related to the work the client is engaged in.
Routinely going over the time limit with certain patients, compromising the time for the next client.
Off the top of my ancient head:
As a woman, what would be you response to a male friend’s offer of a full body massage?
Frequent phoning or texting of clients to “check up on them and make sure they’re OK.”
Session-expressed curiosities about client details not relevant to the therapy.
These items can happen fleetingly, briefly, in any therapy, but if they’re frequent, it’s definitely time for the therapist to get some good, solid supervision/consultation.
Sense of competition with persons who are important in the client’s life.