Boundaries in Psychotherapy and Counseling: Ethical and Clinical Considerations

Fulfills Requirement: Professional Ethics for all professions. Check with your state board if you have questions.

This course is part of the Dual Relationships Package Deal

This beginning/intermediate level course includes articles, with audio versions, to explore 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 of boundary crossings versus boundary violations and how to differentiate among boundary crossings, 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 are not necessarily boundary violations. 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.

A summary brochure is provided as an extra resource which can be given to supervisees, supervisors and administrators, and when appropriate, clients.

This course includes a presentation on boundaries by Dr. Zur (transcript and audio provided).