Personal Boundaries

Why do we have boundaries? This seems like a common sense question. Personal boundaries are there based by the person. These boundaries are there to keep the individual safe, they dictate how they react to different environments. Of course everyone is different, so are their individual boundaries, this sets up the reason why there are professional boundaries. In Psychology these are considered to be ethics, universal ways that professionals should act to different environments. This paper will be written from two points of view, first the ethical standard, the guidelines of Ethics layout by the ACA and NAADAC. Secondly this will be written from my personal perspective. How these ethics interweave into my personal ethics. Over the course of

As multiple clinicians provide care to the same patient or family, clinicians become a team — a group working with at least one common aim: the best possible care — whether or not they acknowledge this fact.”( Mitchell, Wynia 2012) How do you stay inside the “scope” of practice and work together with others to help with client care? This question is shouldn’t have to be asked, ever. A counselor who treats someone for addictions lets’ say, is there to treat them for that addiction, not for a heart problem. There are clear defined roles for professionals to follow, this includes sticking to what we know, are trained and educated in and what the client needs. We cannot service every aspect of a client, we may want to, but there are things with everyone that clearly are beyond our capabilities. With that said, working as a team in that type of environment is easy. You share appropriate information with team members, and make sure that team members are helping the client

There will be times when something happens, it is sadly inevitable. I would like to believe that if something does come up, that the counselor in question would do the right thing. If this is not the case, the question becomes, if I know about it should I say anything? I could debate this question all day long. There are times when I would say yes, I should speak up. Go to a supervisor or a fellow counselor and say something about what has happened. But then when I think about it, this seems like it would end up being conjecture. How exactly will I know if something is really wrong? Did I see Bob and Sue out on a date one night? (With Bob being a counselor and Sue being a client of his) Even then unless I honestly have proof, there is little I can really do about it. I could say something to Bob about my concerns, but if he really was worried about ethics he would not be doing anything unethical in the first place. This matter then is one, depending on the day could go either