Boundaries in Psychotherapy and Counseling: Ethical and Clinical Considerations

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This beginning/intermediate level course explores via text, one video and one audio the issues of gifts, self-disclosure, touch, dual and multiple relationships, Internet transparency, home visits, bartering, attending clients’ weddings, and other therapeutic boundaries in psychotherapy and counseling. The course discusses the definitions and how to differentiate among boundary crossings and boundary violations and dual relationships in psychotherapy. The course will explain how gifts, dual or multiple relationships, home visits, self-disclosure, bartering, and non-sexual touch are all boundary crossing but not necessary boundary violations. It emphasizes how, when conducted with the welfare of the clients in mind, boundary crossings can be an integral part of an ethical and clinically sound treatment plan. The course also briefly reviews the relationships between boundaries, risk management, and the standard of care and provides clinical and ethical guidelines for handling different boundary crossings and dual relationships in psychotherapy. Additional resources and references are provided for further study, but they are not part of the course. Course includes a video recording of a presentation on boundaries by Dr. Zur (transcript provided).