Therapeutic Boundaries in Relation to Transference and Counselling

This essay delves into the critical importance of therapeutic boundaries within mental health services, specifically in relation to the concepts of transference and countertransference. It explores how therapists maintain professional relationships while navigating complex emotional dynamics. The paper examines key boundaries, including self-disclosure, involvement outside the office, touch, gift exchange, and session length, highlighting their impact on the therapeutic process. Transference, where clients project feelings onto the therapist, and countertransference, where therapists' emotions are influenced by the client, are central to the discussion. The essay emphasizes the need for therapists to recognize and manage these phenomena to ensure ethical practice and effective treatment. It also addresses potential boundary violations and their implications, underscoring the importance of maintaining a professional, objective, and safe environment for clients. By setting these boundaries, therapists can promote the client's well-being and maintain the integrity of the mental health service.

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THERAPEUTIC BOUNDARIES IN RELATION TO TRANSFRENCE
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THERAPEUTIC BOUNDARIES IN RELATION TO TRANSFRENCE
Counseling within the mental health service requires maintenance of therapeutic
boundaries between the client and the therapist. Therapeutic boundaries are the expected
psychological and social distance between the therapist and the client(Gutheil & Gabbard, 2013).
It involves issues such as the therapist’s self-disclosure, involvement with the client outside the
office, the length of sessions, touch and exchanging gifts. Transference and countertransference
are concepts that come up during therapy and it is necessary to maintain healthy boundaries
when they arise. Sigmund Freud described countertransference as an unconscious phenomenon
whereby the therapists’ emotions are influenced by a client and causes the therapist to react in a
certain way(Kring, et al., 2013). On the other hand, transference refers to a phenomenon
whereby the client transfers their feelings about a significant person in theirlives to the therapist.
These feelings are usually manifested in many forms such as hatred, mistrust, rage and extreme
dependence on the therapist. This paper will focus on exploring the therapeutic boundaries
needed when counselling within the mental health service in relation to the concepts of
transference and countertransference.
One of therapeutic boundaries involves the therapist’s self-disclosure. Therapists have the
choice to share their own feelings and experiences with their clients but with some
moderation.Excessive self-disclosure may lead the therapist to spend a lot of time focusing on
their feelings and experiences and deny the client the chance to have their issues
handled(Derlaga & Berg, 2013). Excessive disclosure on the therapist’s side may also blur their
ability to recognize the presence of countertransference and generally interfere with the
therapeutic process since it will be based on the therapist’s feelings and not the client’s.
However, when therapists establish healthy boundaries in regards to self-disclosure, they are able

THERAPEUTIC BOUNDARIES IN RELATION TO TRANSFERENCE 3
to share their own experiences with their clients and they may use countertransference
consciously to understand the differences between their experiences and those of their clients in
order to ensure the therapeutic process is objective(Henretty, et al., 2014). Moderate self-
disclosure can enable the therapist to identify the countertransference and help the client in
understanding their issues better and it also makes therapists more empathetic since they
understand the client’s situation (Henretty, et al., 2014). The therapists are also able to recognize
transference in the client when they give more time for the client to talk about their feelings and
experiences (Brown 2017). It is important to recognize whenever any unconscious
countertransference occurs by having healthy boundaries set when it comes to self-disclosure
(Butcher, Minieka and Hooley 2013).
Involvement with the client outside the office is another therapeutic boundary that is
important within the mental health service. The relationship between a client and a therapist is
supposed to be strictly within the counselling environment. One of the common ways in which
transference and countertransference is usually manifested is through an erotic attraction
between the therapist and the client(Fuertes & Cheng, 2013). The client may want to initiate
dates and extra meetings outside the therapeutic timeline in order to fulfill the feelings that result
from the transference. It is important for the therapists to recognize the transference in their
patients so that they can be aware of the motives their clients might have and even how the
clients might be eliciting a countertransference in them. By limiting the involvement with clients
outside the office, the therapist is able to avoid other ethical problems such as dual relationships
and romantic relationships with their clients. In addition, they avoid encouraging the clients to
dwell on the feelings that result from transference such as erotic attractions and instead focus on
issues that will promote the wellbeingof the client.

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Extreme dependence of the client on the therapist can also be as a result of transference.
For example, a client who experiences social isolation may make the therapist the central part of
their social life, such a client might want to constantly interact with the therapist outside the
office as a way to fulfill their social wellbeing. It is important for the therapist to establish their
stand on maintaining a professional relationship within the counselling environment and avoid
giving the client any indications contrary to this(Corey, 2015). Countertransference may also
lead the therapist to be over involved in the client’s situation. Once the client has shared their
problem with the therapist, the therapist might remember a similar occasion that occurred in their
lives and it may trigger outrage in them. For example, when the client is a rape victim and the
therapist also had a similar incident happen to them or someone close to them it brings back the
negative feelings that resulted from that incident and it may provoke the therapist to be either
under or overinvolved with the client. Because of this, they may want to make an extra effort
beyond the therapeutic counselling process to try and help their clients. This constitutes
involvement with the client outside the counselling set up that may eventually compromise the
outcome of the therapeutic process. In a case where the therapists considers it necessary to
intervene in the patients situation, they have to clearly explain to the client their reasons for
intervening to avoid misinterpretations that may arise (Pope & Vaquez, 2016).Maintaining a
therapeutic boundary that prevents involvement outside the therapeutic relationship can help the
therapist in dealing with issues arising from transference and countertransference henceensuring
the credibility of the mental health service. However, there are some unique circumstances that
may necessitate an interaction with the client outside the counselling session. For example, when
the client suddenly falls ill and the therapist goes to visit him at the hospital to help him deal with
the vulnerability of the situation. In such a situation, the therapist has to explain to the client the

THERAPEUTIC BOUNDARIES IN RELATION TO TRANSFERENCE 5
significance of the visit in the context of their therapeutic relationship to avoid misinterpretation
(Brown 2017).
Touch and exchange of gifts between the client and the therapist are also issues that come
into consideration when discussing therapeutic boundaries. These two concepts are
usuallyinvolved when individuals have a nonprofessional relationship and therefore, it becomes
unethical when the relationship between the client and the therapists comprises of exchanging
gifts and intimate touching(Zur, 2015). It may also trigger a romantic relationship which is
against the code of ethics for counsellors. In reference to transference and counter transference,
touch and exchange of gifts might elevate the feelings of attraction that occurs between the client
and the therapist. It will affect the therapeutic relationship since the gestures might be
misinterpreted by both parties as an initiation of a relationship or a response to their romantic
feelings. For example, a client who once had a loved one who constantly showered them with
gifts and reassured them with intimate touching might misinterpret a simple gesture of comfort
as a show of affection because of transferring the feelings they got from their loved one to the
therapist. A therapist may also experience countertransference when they receive a gift from
aclient since it might trigger certain memories related to receiving gifts from someone else in
their lives. Crossing this boundary interferes with the objectivity of the therapeutic process since
it compromises the professional relationship between the client and the therapist (Beck, Freeman
and Davis 2015).
Sexual relationship between the therapist and the client should be avoided. Sexual misconduct
usually results from other subsequent boundary violations, such a s exchanging gifts and meeting
outside the counseling set up (Butler, Chapman, Forman 2016). Due to transference, a client may
develop intimate feelings for the therapists and make moves towards achieving a sexual

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relationship with them. They may do this by initiating dates and offering gifts and favors in
exchange for the services offered by the therapist. It is important for the therapist to recognize
the presence of any transference in the therapeutic relationship with the client and help the client
in acknowledging and understanding those feelings(Paul, 2015). Failing to recognize and address
these feelings may eventually result in a sexual relationship with the client which ruins the
professional relationship. The therapists might also see a resemblance in physical appearance or
mannerisms of a client that triggers memories of a former or current sexual partner (Henretty, et
al., 2014). This may result in them thinking of the client in a sexual way. The therapists has to
recognize that the feelings are not directly related to their clients but instead they are a
representation of someone else. By doing this, they can be able to avoid getting into a sexual
relationship with the client and disrupting the therapeutic relationship. It will also prevent further
problems related to code of ethics (Henretty, et al., 2014).
Therapeutic boundaries also need to be established when it comes to the length of
sessions between the client and the therapist. A therapist should give each client an equal session
and avoid giving preference to particular clients (Henretty, et al., 2014). The length of the
session will limit the therapist from going beyond the scope of their session and instead focusing
on the important aspects of the session. For example, when countertransference occurs, a
therapist is more likely to talk about their experiences and feelings. This gives the client less time
to have their issues addressed. When there is an allocated length of time for a particular session,
the therapists can organize themselves better to ensure the client is given more time to talk about
their issues. Once the therapist recognizes the presence of countertransference when engaging
with a particular client, they may then organize the time they have to ensure they focus on the
relevant information and avoid deviating to less important information(Sharpless & Barber,

THERAPEUTIC BOUNDARIES IN RELATION TO TRANSFERENCE 7
2015).Transference in counselling might occur when a client views the therapist as one of their
close friend or a family member. Maybe the individual had a family member who never used to
listen to them and they may take the therapist as being that close family member (Henretty, et al.,
2014). They may want to talk with the therapists for longer periods and they may feel frustrated
when the therapist allocates only a few minutes to them since they generalize that everyone does
not like to listen to them. Before the first session begins it is important to clarify with the client
the length of the sessions you will be having with them so that there is no misinterpretation on
the length of time allocated to them (Henretty, et al., 2014).
In therapy Transference is the transferal of patients feelings from a significant person to
the therapist while counter transference is noted as the rerouting of the therapist emotional state
towards the client (Henretty, et al., 2014). Therefore it is important that therapeutic boundaries
are in place so that a beneficial relationship that takes place is not violated and at the same time
the client is able to get the treatment he or she needs in the most professional way possible this
article explores this boundaries within a mental service environment. Boundaries are important
in any client patient relation, and can be violated within these different parameters which are
Power, Trust, Respect and personal closeness (Brown 2017).
In this case, in reference to power the client sees the therapist as all powerful, and
it is because of this that the client comes to the therapist for guidance or help (Beck, Freeman
and Davis 2015). It is therefore very easy for the therapist to violate this power, and infringe on
the patient’s rights for instance, the Therapist changing the time set for therapy without liaising
with the patient or forcing the patient to attend therapy would show abuse of power. In reference
to counter transference the therapist might want to use the power he has to ask a victim who was

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maybe sexually abused by a former therapist into not reporting the incidence or even go further
into making the patient believe that incident never happened (Drum and Littleton 2014).
In addition, trust and respect between the patient and therapist come in handy, and are
essential this is because the Clients have confidence that the therapist knows what he is doing
and has the skills, and aptitudes to give the best care possible. The therapist should ensure that
the client can trust him and thus confidently share whatever issues that the client might have help
(Beck, Freeman and Davis 2015). In regards to Respect, Therapist is accountable in regards to a
client this irrespective of color of the skin, faith, age, or health status (Khalikova 2016).
Last but not least Personal closeness is also a boundary that needs to be addressed
therapist that are inclined to psychoanalysis are probably not likely to touch their patients this is
because their hypothetical model expect that physical contact may satisfy transference unrealities
that should be comprehended, and not carried out. Some therapists affected by this school of
thought are more disposed to embrace routinely toward the finish of sessions help (Beck,
Freeman and Davis 2015). Personal space is important in mental health this is because some of
these patients are violent and some may not want to be touched or any slight provocation would
result in the client withdrawing from therapy (Khalikova 2016). Therefore, when boundaries in
therapy are crossed and above parameters are upheld it is noted not to be harmful to the patient
or the therapist, and is sometimes allowed in therapy but it is wise to note that in the mental
health it is not advisable to cross any boundary as this might be detrimental, and when
boundaries are violated the infringe on the patient’s rights, and this might also become harmful
not only to the patient but also to the therapist (Geller and Srikameswaran 2015).
In conclusion, a mental healthcare provider should maintain high therapeutic relationship.
Therapeutic boundaries are the probable social and physical distance between the therapist and

THERAPEUTIC BOUNDARIES IN RELATION TO TRANSFERENCE 9
the client; this involves issues such as the therapist’s self-disclosure, involvement with the client
outside the office, the length of sessions, touch and exchanging gifts. In this case, transference
refers to an occurrence whereby the client transfers their feelings about their personal their lives
to the therapist. Such feelings are usually manifested in many forms such as h mistrust, hatred
rage and high dependence on the therapist. Therefore, it is important for the therapist to identify
and deal with transference and countertransference that occurs during therapy by putting in place
firm boundaries. The therapist should give the client a secure environment to express their
feelings including the uncomfortable ones. By understanding the therapists own
countertransference, he is able to manage the outcomes to ensure it does not jeopardize the
wellbeing of the clients. It also provides an opportunity for the therapist to be more empathetic
since they can relate to the client’s experiences. The therapist’s ability to understand the client’s
transference can be a great tool in treatment since it indicates the source of the problem and the
therapists can establish the proper way to help the client. The therapeutic boundaries enable us to
deal with transference and countertransference in more appropriate ways to avoid harming
clients.

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