Page 33 - PartA

Counselling Skills

These boundaries can be vertically agreed – meaning formally written up and signed
as a professional document. Agreements will usually state:

• Confidentiality is essential in most helping relationships and must be
maintained, except in circumstances where a child or adult is at risk of
harm or abuse, or where a crime might be, or has been, committed.
• Touching is usually limited to none – even a hand on the shoulder should
be viewed with caution as it could be intrusive or perceived as an assault.

• Phone calls and emails may not be deemed to be appropriate at all, or
could be negotiated if the helper has a professional telephone number and
email address.

• Managing possible self-harm should be negotiated and is often the point at
which the client should be referred to other professionals.

Key Fact

Healthy boundaries are necessary in a counselling or helping
relationship if the relationship is to be effective.

Agreeing objectives for a new helping relationship

It may be difficult to agree objectives at the start of a helping relationship.

! STOP AND THINK!

Why do you think it may be difficult for you and your client to
agree objectives at the start of a helping relationship? Make
notes in the space below.

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