Logo

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

Last Updated: 23.06.2025 08:30

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

Disclosing feelings, fantasies, and experiences to the client in ways not related to the work the client is engaged in.

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

Obsessing about clients outside of work hours.

Cognitive changes before DBS not a dementia risk factor in Parkinson’s - Parkinson's News Today

Routinely going over the time limit with certain patients, compromising the time for the next client.

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.

General Introduction to Boundaries from Panahi Counseling:

What to know about rare brain-eating amoeba after Texas woman dies - ABC News

Serious disappointment when the client cancels a session.

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

Frequent phoning or texting of clients to “check up on them and make sure they’re OK.”

What does the Bible say about the Antichrist? How will we know when he arrives on the scene?

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

Off the top of my ancient head:

Failing to mention the client in supervision/consultation, out of fear the supervisor/consultant will advise return to ordinary healthy boundaries.

How do I separate the vocals of two different people speaking in a single channel?

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