In this year’s Communiques, we have been highlighting aspects of the Professional Practice Standards, which came into effect on January 1. In the second of a two-part series, this month continues discussing boundaries, which are addressed in various CRPO standards and documents.
Discussions about boundaries often involve crossing from a client relationship into a personal one. It might not be common to think of the opposite scenario, where an individual interprets that they are a psychotherapy client, even if the registrant did not intend this. This may occur in a registrant’s personal life, or if the registrant offers non-psychotherapy services as part of their business (for example, education, coaching, or mediation). Registrants should be alert about signals that could lead an individual to believe they are receiving psychotherapy. These could include if the registrant does some of the following: accepts payment for services, creates a record for an individual, holds meetings that resemble therapy sessions, performs psychotherapy techniques, or refers to professional advice or expertise. Where a situation is ambiguous, registrants should clarify what service is being offered. The clarification must be reasonable in the circumstances (that is, a registrant cannot avoid accountability by falsely denying that they are providing psychotherapy to a particular client).
Applicable standards include 1.7.4, requiring registrants to maintain professional boundaries, and 6.2.8, making it clear what services a registrant is advertising. See also commentary in the Jurisprudence Manual regarding Boundaries with Non-Clients.