Understanding Professional
Boundaries
For workers and supervisors
Sandy Bryson
Organisational Consultant
The definition of professional
boundaries
• A sense of professional identity and self definition
that has consistency and cohesion over time.
• The framework within which the worker-client
relationship occurs.
• The line between the self of client and self of worker
• Prescribes a system of limits and expectations
Why are professional
boundaries important in our
work?
• Provides safety for both the worker and the client
• Reduces client/worker anxiety as rules and roles
are clear
• Increases well-being of the worker
• Provides a therapeutic environment underpinned
by mutual respect.
Consequences of poor
professional boundaries
• Leads to potentially unsafe practice
• Increases client/worker stress
• Undermines the therapeutic relationship
• Can compound clients difficulties
How are professional
boundaries established?
• Professional codes of conduct
• By law
• Clinical governance
• Code of ethics
Who Negotiates Boundaries?
• Duty of the worker to act in the best interest of the
client
• The client may have a life experience where
boundaries have been compromised and/or may not
be aware of the need for boundaries, or able to
defend themselves against boundary violations
• The worker is ultimately responsible for managing
boundary issues
Potential contexts in which boundary
violations can occur
• Touching
• Recieving money or gifts from clients
• Loss of respect within the client/worker
relationship
• Having dual relationships with clients
• Client confidentiality
• Self disclosure
Factors that impact on
professional boundaries
Organisational Factors:
• Roles
• Culture
• Organisational Structure
• Management and supervision
• Appropriate training
Factors that impact on
professional boundaries
The Client Group:
• The capacity of the client (ability to communicate
and to understand the worker/client relationship)
• Impact of transference and counter-transference, i.e.
the feelings that arise in the context of the
relationship, both for the client and the worker
Factors that impact on
professional boundaries
Personal Factors:
• Dual relationship with the client
• Resilience/personal vulnerability
• Valency, i.e. the tendency to react in
predictable ways to certain situations
Models for understanding boundary
transgression: the ‘Zone of
Helpfulness’
Disengagement Zone of Helpfulness Over-involvement
Models for understanding
boundary transgression: the Drama
Triangle
Rescuer
Persecutor Victim
The role of the manager and/or
supervisor
Primary responsibility is to ensure that the
worker or supervisee maintains appropriate
professional boundaries in their work
• Understanding how boundaries become
compromised
• Ability to provide emotional containment to the
worker when work is emotionally demanding
• Willingness to challenge/address boundary issues
Questions to Ask in Examining
Potential Boundary Issues:
• Is the worker reluctant to talk about this?
• Is this in the client’s best interest? If not, whose
needs are being served?
• How would this be viewed by an onlooker?
• Does the client mean something ‘special’ to the
supervisee?
• Is the worker disinterested in or avoiding the client?
• Is the worker taking advantage of the client, or being
taken advantage of?
Minimizing Risk of Exploitation
and Boundary Crossing: A checklist
for managers
• A clear understanding of what is ethical and
professional behaviour
• Awareness of organisational factors that can
compromise professional boundaries
• Maintain supervision or consultation relationships
(isolation is often a major factor in boundary violations)
• Be alert to potential /actual conflicts of interest
• Understand and be willing to address the emotional
impact on workers when working with clients in need.
References
• DOEL, M., ALLMARK, P. J., CONWAY, P., COWBURN,
M., FLYNN, M., NELSON, P. and TOD, A. (2009).
Professional boundaries: crossing a line or entering
the shadows? British journal of social work, 40 (6),
1866-1889.
Lord Nelson, L. G., Summers, J. A. and Turnbull, A. P.
(2004), 'Boundaries in ‘Family-professional
relationships: Implications for Special Education' in
Remedial and Special Education, 25.3, 153-165.
