Boundaries, Therapeutic Relationships & Effectiveness

     "The idea of firm, intractable boundaries as a way to guarantee ethical action in professional helping relationships may be a comforting one. It is, however, a false comfort. Fixed general rules cannot capture the complex reality of therapeutic relationships. Normative principles can be invaluable as guides to ethical practice. They are, nevertheless, insufficient. Practitioners need to follow the ethical codes and standards of their discipline, but they must do more than this. They need to be unceasingly attentive to the way in which they act within the moral context of practice.
     rules etched in stone ... cannot replace careful examination of motives, behaviors, and the ethical possibilities of the particular situation
     'we have historically been unwilling to explore the complexities of ethical dilemmas and content to be reactive rather than proactive in the development of ethical norms.'
     concrete boundaries in therapeutic relationships can diminish both the humanness of encounter between client and practitioner and therapeutic effectiveness."
         Austin W, Bergum V, Nuttgens S, Peternelj-Taylor C. A Re-Visioning of Boundaries in Professional Helping Relationships: Exploring Other Metaphors. Ethics & Behavior 2006; 16(2): 77-94.

Dale Chihuly   http://www.chihulygardenandglass.com/