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| Published: February 02, 2023
Boundary Constructions in Psychotherapeutic Relationships
Student, Christ University, Karnataka, India
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Assistant Professor, Christ University, Karnataka, India
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DIP: 18.01.028.20231101
DOI: 10.25215/1101.028
ABSTRACT
Boundaries define the nature of psychotherapeutic relationships. How these boundaries are defined and subsequently perceived by the client is key. The way the client construes the boundaries in such a relationship is instrumental in therapy efficacy as shown in the literature. A lack of clarity around boundaries confounds the client and threatens safety and heightens vulnerability in the therapeutic relationship. If boundaries can be viewed through legal, ethical and socioemotional lenses. Hence, the way boundaries are presented are very important. If presented without rationale or the intent of caregiving they can come across as intimidating to limits. 11 participants from various parts of India have been recruited for the study. They were interviewed about their negative experiences in therapy, special emphasis was given to the client therapist relationship. An interpretive phenomenological method revealed that unclear boundaries make the client feel ignored, manipulated and invalidated. They also create power imbalances which make it difficult for the client to communicate therapeutic distress. This paper also views the clients personal boundaries as a pertinent relational issue. When assessments are imposed without giving choice or rationale to the client. Clients report feeling disrespected and stifled in the therapeutic process.
This is an Open Access Research distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any Medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
© 2023, Banerjee, S. & Wesley, M. S.
Received: December 17, 2022; Revision Received: January 30, 2023; Accepted: February 02, 2023
Article Overview
ISSN 2348-5396
ISSN 2349-3429
18.01.028.20231101
10.25215/1101.028
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Published in Volume 11, Issue 1, January-March, 2023