What are some signs that a therapist may have poor boundaries with their clients?
09.06.2025 05:45
Disclosing feelings, fantasies, and experiences to the client in ways not related to the work the client is engaged in.
Frequent phoning or texting of clients to “check up on them and make sure they’re OK.”
Off the top of my ancient head:
Russia’s central bank cuts interest rates for first time since 2022 - Financial Times
Serious disappointment when the client cancels a session.
Obsessing about clients outside of work hours.
General Introduction to Boundaries from Panahi Counseling:
What Is Agentic AI? Everything to Know About Artificial Intelligence Agents - CNET
Failing to mention the client in supervision/consultation, out of fear the supervisor/consultant will advise return to ordinary healthy boundaries.
Routinely going over the time limit with certain patients, compromising the time for the next client.
Struggling with fantasies of deeper connections with clients, whether sexual or parental or other intense or intimate relationships beyond psychotherapy.
How do you cope when your mother doesn't love you?
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.
Eager anticipation (or anxious anticipation) of the next session in ways that distract.
Sense of competition with persons who are important in the client’s life.
Session-expressed curiosities about client details not relevant to the therapy.