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What are some signs that a therapist may have poor boundaries with their clients?

15.06.2025 01:00

What are some signs that a therapist may have poor boundaries with their clients?

Struggling with fantasies of deeper connections with clients, whether sexual or parental or other intense or intimate relationships beyond psychotherapy.

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.

Obsessing about clients outside of work hours.

What is a fun psychological trick to try on someone?

Serious disappointment when the client cancels a session.

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.

Why do US military soldiers/officers have a chest full of medal ribbons when they probably haven't been in a combat situation? Are the medals for attendance, good behaviour, or long service perhaps?

Off the top of my ancient head:

Sense of competition with persons who are important in the client’s life.

Session-expressed curiosities about client details not relevant to the therapy.

Why is my elder sister so mean?

General Introduction to Boundaries from Panahi Counseling:

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.”

What makes someone feel "rich enough" in different societies?

Eager anticipation (or anxious anticipation) of the next session in ways that distract.