Navigating Boundaries in Clinical Practice (1.5HR)

Learning how to set professional boundaries in psychology is a tough part of becoming a counselor or therapist. You spend a lot of your training learning how to break through walls with your clients, not figuring out how to put them up. But ask anybody in the field, and they’ll tell you that you have to learn to strike a perfect balance between a therapeutic alliance and ethical behavior. Gift-giving, bartering, dual-relationships, social media, beginning and ending sessions on time, etc. When it comes to boundaries, clinicians are faced with an array of challenges. In this interactive training, we will explore how to create and maintain healthy boundaries in the therapeutic relationship. We will also discuss strategies for avoiding boundary issues that can negatively impact both client and clinician.

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

• Define what boundaries are in the therapeutic context
• Describe the differences between healthy and unhealthy boundaries
• Identify common ethical boundary pitfalls in the counseling relationship
• Determine how to create and maintain healthy boundaries with clients

Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 General asynchronous continuing education credits.

For other board approvals, this course qualifies for 1.5 hours of Clinical and General Skill Building continuing education training.

Course Instructor: Dreya Blume, MSW, LCSW