COUNSELING RELATIONSHIP

In the counseling relationship, we acknowledge the natural imbalance of power while striving for a partnership built on mutuality and defined goals. As a client, it's crucial for you to understand the impact of this power dynamic and the importance of healthy boundaries in counseling. The more you know beforehand, the more you'll benefit from our work together.

While we delve into your deepest thoughts and emotions, it's normal to develop an emotional connection that may resemble a close friendship. However, it's essential to remember that you're seeking my professional expertise, care, and skills rather than a friendship. This can make maintaining boundaries in counseling challenging because they are in place to preserve the professionalism of our relationship, even if they may feel counterintuitive as we grow closer.

Boundary categories we observe in counseling include self-disclosure, gifts, place of contact, and touch.

  • Self-disclosure is appropriate when it benefits your therapeutic journey. If you ever feel that I am sharing too much personal information or straying from the therapeutic focus, please express your concerns.

  • Gifts have the potential to create conflicts of interest. When you offer a gift, I must carefully consider our counseling relationship, the value of the gift, your motivations, and my own motivations for accepting or declining it.

  • Our counseling sessions typically take place in a neutral and private setting, such as my office or a secure online telehealth platform compliant with HIPAA regulations.

  • While nonsexual touch can be therapeutically beneficial, it is never appropriate for me to touch you without your explicit permission. Additionally, touch should always serve a therapeutic purpose. Any form of sexual, erotic, or violent touch is unequivocally unethical.

You have the right to be in a counseling relationship free from boundary violations, and I have the responsibility to maintain professional boundaries. Open communication about boundaries is highly encouraged, as it enhances the effectiveness of your counseling experience.