At Personal Risk: Boundary Violations in Professional-Client Relationships

by Marilyn R. Peterson

This book addresses boundary violations through the lens of the professional-client relationship, drawing examples of misconduct from law, medicine, religion, education and psychotherapy. The first three chapters cover the social context of the relationship, the inherent power differential that delineates the relational boundaries, and professionals’ difficulty with managing that power appropriately. Also discussed are the four characteristics of a boundary violation―a reversal of roles, a secret, a double bind, and an indulgence of professional privilege―and the damage to the client. Throughout the book, clients share their stories of violations―sometimes blatant, often subtle―in relationships. These vignettes, along with Peterson’s engaging style, transform ethics from dry, abstract, and theoretical principles to vital struggles to understand and appropriately manage power with clients.

Genres: Psychology, School

208 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1992

Reviews

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have for all therapists.

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book while I was having a problem with trust violations in regards to a client-professional relationship. After I uncovered disturbing facts and realized some important ethical violations in regards to a situation where I was the client, I considered my alternatives: bring legal action, ignore and go away, file a complaint. This book provided a different path to me for problem resolution, one that is a life lesson that can apply to almost all disputes: go back to the source of the problem and attempt to communicate to the source the impact their actions had on you. I did not fully have the courage to open up and tell the involved professional the depth of my angst, but I tried, on several occasions. This type of action requires internal resources we may not have, especially when we are dealing with people of societal authority. Nevertheless, I tried. For my situation, I think it was the most empowering step I could take. I had no heart for a legal battle, and, do legal battles create the healing you might need? Do legal battles perpetuate problems and worsen pain? In some cases, like rape, re-victimization may result based on current modes of handling many he said-she said, he did-she-did disputes. Costs, cross-examinations, the favoring of precedential laws, and liar's spoils all worsen the prospects of improving your own healing, depending on your personality. Bottom line lesson from this book, if you have a dispute with someone, for the first step, go to them and tell them about how their actions affected you. Do so without delay. Yes, further action might be needed, but first clear the air, learn their perspective, leave room for the other party to explain their perspective, their clumsiness, their thoughtlessness, or however their springs were dry when you came to them with an empty water bottle.
I will read this book more than once.

[Michelle Ackland · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book felt like it said a lot and provided nothing. Maybe because it was too psychodynamic and spiritually oriented it did not feel practical in the way I had hoped. I did find the part about repairing after a boundary violation to be interesting and it would be great if more therapist supervision covered the idea of how to repair with a client.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book proffers a lot to contemplate as a future professional, specific to those who are teachers, lawyers, therapists, clerics (a little dated - the book was written in 1992), and those in the field of medicine. There are quite a few quotes and scenarios from people who have experienced or been responsible for boundary violations. This was required reading for my marriage and family therapy ethics class, and I do believe I will be keeping this book as a reference. It is important that professionals do not take advantage of any existing power differentials and realize their purpose is to serve the needs of their clients and not their own. As a future marriage and family therapist, this is something to remember and remind myself of often. I can see myself rereading this book in the future as a reminder. Not the most stimulating read but worth reading nonetheless.