Logo

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

09.06.2025 11:32

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

Off the top of my ancient head:

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.

Why do women stubbornly refuse to let men lead, even though they are attracted to the man, and the man both loves and desires them? Why do they get angry and blame the man when he gets fed up and walks away, when it's entirely their own fault?

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

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

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

After Drug Allegations, Elon Musk Arrives at His Own Goodbye Party With a Black Eye and a Bizarre Excuse - futurism.com

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

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

General Introduction to Boundaries from Panahi Counseling:

Measles vaccinations drop as CDC updates travel guidance - Yahoo

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.

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

Serious disappointment when the client cancels a session.

What questions will be asked by the executive director of JP Morgan for 6 years of experience in Java? The technical rounds are already cleared.

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