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What are some signs that a therapist may have poor boundaries with their clients?

16.06.2025 07:10

What are some signs that a therapist may have poor boundaries with their clients?

Failing to mention the client in supervision/consultation, out of fear the supervisor/consultant will advise return to ordinary healthy boundaries.

Serious disappointment when the client cancels a session.

Disclosing feelings, fantasies, and experiences to the client in ways not related to the work the client is engaged in.

Why do Trump supporters believe Trump should deport the immigrants? These people you call "illegal immigrants" have lived here for many years, they have houses, jobs, how can you think they will just go back to their country, where they have nothing?

Eager anticipation (or anxious anticipation) of the next session in ways that distract.

Session-expressed curiosities about client details not relevant to the therapy.

Obsessing about clients outside of work hours.

Why are daughters mean to their mothers?

Frequent phoning or texting of clients to “check up on them and make sure they’re OK.”

Sense of competition with persons who are important in the client’s life.

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.

Do you consider masturbating to porn cheating if you are married?

Off the top of my ancient head:

Struggling with fantasies of deeper connections with clients, whether sexual or parental or other intense or intimate relationships beyond psychotherapy.

General Introduction to Boundaries from Panahi Counseling:

According to Amy Schumer, John Cena was actually inside of her during the TrainWreck love scene. I thought that was illegal in Hollywood?

Routinely going over the time limit with certain patients, compromising the time for the next client.