Boundaries
Types of Dual Relationships
Davidson's Professional Boundaries Continuum
Life Balance: Avoiding Burnout
Self-Disclosure
100

Communicating professionally, involving ethical decision making, appropriate self-disclosure

Professional boundaries

100

Sexual relationships, physical contact, providing services to a former lover, intimate gestures

Intimate Relationships

100

Maintain boundaries; use judgement and self reflection; decisions accountable to other professionals

Balanced

100

Mentorship that is an open, trusting relationship; a mentor that helps the social worker maintain clear boundaries between work and personal life.

Quality Supervision

100
When a social worker shares something personal with a client. Ex. talking about your own experience with grief to help someone feel understood. It is a tool, not a therapy session!

Self-disclosure

200

Time management, completion of tasks on time

Time and availability boundaries

200

Performing favors, providing non-professional services, giving gifts, being extraordinarily available

Altruistic Gestures

200

BONUS! This European country is widely recognized as the original birthplace of Halloween traditions. 

Ireland

200

BONUS! In 2013, Texas proclaimed this sugary dessert as its official state pie.

Pecan Pie

200

BONUS (non self-disclosure question): When you need support determining appropriate professional boundaries in challenging situations or need to discuss your workload. 

Supervision and/or consultation

300

Ensuring client information is not intentionally or unintendedly shared on-line

Social media and technology boundaries

300

Monetary gain, goods and services, useful information

Personal Benefit

300

Inflexible; does not attend to the needs of the client

Rigid

300
The social worker should keep in mind the distinction between the social worker and client and the role each one plays in solving problems. Remembering: Ultimately, clients are responsible for solving their own problems!

Role Clarity

300

What are four reasons to use self-disclosure?

1) Builds trust

2) Reduces power imbalances

3) Validates feelings

4) Encourages openness

400

Awareness of cultural differences about space, touch, professional setting for meetings

Physical and personal space boundaries

400
Social and community events, joint affiliations and memberships, mutual acquaintances and friends

Unanticipated Circumstances

400

BONUS! This term refers to the specific day in September when daytime and nighttime are of exactly equal length.

Autumn Equinox

400

The number one key to restoring balance. Should focus on: Awareness of: one's needs, one's limitations, why "no" is hard, and awareness of what clients' trauma involves touches the social worker

Practicing self-awareness

400

The four risks of getting self-disclosure wrong

1) Blurs boundaries

2) Shifts focus

3) Makes people uncomfortable

4) Creates expectations that client needs to care for the social worker

500

Needed for managing intense emotions that arise. To get full points: What tools do we use to manage this?

Emotional boundaries

500

extending relationships with clients, promoting client dependence, confusing personal and professional lives, reversing roles with clients

Emotional and dependency needs

500

Over-involvement, meeting own emotional, social, or physical needs

Entangled

500

The social worker is warned of this through signs in the body like pain, anxiety, neck hurting, itching, back pain, the social worker dreads going to work, has a hard time getting out of bed.

Signs of work-life imbalance

500

Name at least three ways to use self-disclosure properly.

1) Keep it brief

2) Make sure it is relevant

3) Watch their reaction

4) Don't make it a habit

5) Ask yourself- who is this for?

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