Logo

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

Last Updated: 17.06.2025 16:09

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.

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.

Are you happy with your life?

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

General Introduction to Boundaries from Panahi Counseling:

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

Why is the covert narcissist actively avoiding me when they see me everyday?

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

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.

Why do good-looking men date homely women?

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

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.”

Do you think all these charges that have been brought against Trump are just a coincidence? If he was such a big threat why did they wait 3 years to bring these charges? Or is this all just election interference?

Serious disappointment when the client cancels a session.