Political is Personal: Social Workers United

Ethics in the Trenches: Boundaries Ethics in the Trenches: Boundaries for Helping Professionalsfor Helping Professionals

Marilyn Peterson Armour, Ph.D., MSWMarilyn Peterson Armour, Ph.D., MSW

University of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at Austinmarmour@mail.utexas.edu

www.marilynpetersonarmour.org

CURRENT CONTEXT

Codes of Ethics

1. Highlight high profile violations.

2. Focus on behaviors.

Licensing Boards and Professional

Associations

1. Externalize authority

2. Make regulatory function primary.

DEFINITION OF A BOUNDARY

Boundaries are limits

that allow for a safe

connection based on need.

Two Pillars: 1) Spiritual Base

The Ethos of Care:

The client’s needs will come first and ahead of our own.

2) Secular Base: Basis of Power

I. Role

II. Expertise

III. Client’s Struggle

A. Struggle with Self

B. Authority

C. Expectations

IV. Self-Worth

What Brings the Professional’s Power To Life?

Client’s Need.

Lack of Resolution and Relief.

Inability to Care for Self.

“Letting Go as a Necessary Condition for Receiving Help.

Client Vulnerability(Disparity between client & professional)

Nature of the problem

Gender of client & professional

Educational level of client & professional

Socio-economic class of client & professional

Race of client & professional

Age of client & professional

Sexual orientation of client & professional

Life-cycle stage and associated life-crises

Client Vulnerability:Heightened by being in a relationship with us.

• Client is in a foreign territory.

• Decisions colored by co-operation & compliance.

• Client cannot evaluate our competence.

• Client cannot negotiate rights.

• Choices are narrowed by “monopoly”.

• Choices restricted by time.

• Choices influenced by anxieties about future consequences

Two Pillars: 2) Secular Base

Power DifferentialWe will use our greater power in the relationship not for our own ends but

to protect the client’s greater vulnerability in the relationship.

Putting the 2 Pillars Together

Care

SAFETY Need Power

ZONE

Trust

CLIENT VULNERABILITY

Denial of Power/ Denial of ImpactDenial of Power/ Denial of Impact

What makes us ambivalent, unsure, and uncertain?

Cultural Attitudes about Power.

Family Attitudes and Experiences.

Deficiency Model of Evaluation.

Functioning in a Paradox.

Definition of a Boundary Violation

Boundaries are the limits that allow for a safe connection based on the client’s needs. When these limits are altered, what is allowed in the relationship becomes ambiguous. Such ambiguity is experienced as an intrusion into the sphere of safety. The pain from a violation is frequently delayed (and may not occur at all) and the violation may not be recognized or felt until harmful consequences emerge.

Reversal of RolesReversal of RolesChange in Status

Elevated

N O R M A L

Scapegoated

SecretsSecrets

SECRETS ARE ORGANIZED AROUND THE PROFESSIONAL’S NEED

Protect Illicit Behaviors. Give the Professional an Advantage. Gain the Client’s Co-operation. Secret

Professional Client

Secrets:Secrets: Cont. Cont.

OW OW OW

Prof. Cl. Prof. Cl. Prof. Cl.

OW: Outside WorldProf: Professional

Cl: Client

Double BindDouble Bind

Conflict of Interest

Fear of Loss

C L I E N T’S O P T I O N S

Loss of what Loss of Safetythe client needs

P A R A L Y S I S

Indulgence of Professional PrivilegeIndulgence of Professional Privilege Self Gratification Supercedes Obligation.

Entitlement Supercedes Mutuality.

The Client Belongs to Me Supercedes the

Client’s Right.

Translation That Establishes Congruence

I KNOW BEST.

I AM DOING THIS FOR YOU.

THIS WON’T HURT YOU.

Establishment of a SystemEstablishment of a System(Series of Relational Changes)

Indulgence of Professional Privilege(misdirects or changes the power differential)

Creation of a Secret(creates a dual agenda)

Reversal of Roles(restructures of relationship)

Double Binding of the Client(maintains the system and reinforces

the professional’s privilege)

Ethics LaboratoryEthics LaboratoryVignette QuestionsVignette Questions

1) What are the professional’s needs?

2) What secrets have been created?

3) How have the roles been reversed? How does it change the power differential?

4) How is the client double bound? (any action is a loss)

5) How does the therapist justify behavior?

How Do I Respond?How Do I Respond?

Violations You Create

Self-Protection

Versus

Self-Examination

How Do I Respond?How Do I Respond?

Violations From the Client

Personal Comfort

Versus

Honesty and Care

How Do I Respond?How Do I Respond?

Violations From a Colleague

Personal Comfort

Versus

Concern for Colleague/ Clients

Red Flags and Danger ZonesRed Flags and Danger Zones

1. Making a client special: encouraging dependency.

2. Personal sharing.

3. Dual relationships with clients, colleagues or superiors: Working in a “closed” system/ isolation.

4. Making your own rules: altering your limitsSeeing yourself as unique or above the rules OR victimed, unsupported, or misunderstood.

Red Flags and Danger ZonesRed Flags and Danger Zones

5. Grandiosity: I’m the only one who can help you.

• Presence of conditions conducive to burnout: Constant pressure to do more with less.Using work to satisfy all needs.

• Lack of definition: job description, written policies & procedures.

• Ideology before client need.

• Promising the client loyalty/availability.