Therapy is a deeply personal and professional relationship that requires trust, safety, and clear boundaries. Ethical therapists are bound by professional standards to ensure that their actions protect their clients’ well-being and maintain the integrity of the therapeutic process. However, not all clients know what behaviours cross the line.

Here are some key things your therapist should never do:

1. Be Your Friend

While it’s normal to feel connected to your therapist, their role is to provide professional support, not to act as a friend. This boundary ensures that the focus remains on your needs and personal growth. Crossing this line can blur the relationship and compromise the therapy’s effectiveness.

2. Go Into Business With You

Entering into a business arrangement, such as a joint venture or hiring you for services, creates a dual relationship. This can lead to conflicts of interest, harm the professional dynamic, and put undue pressure on the client to meet the therapist’s expectations.

3. Ask You for Discounts or Perks

Your therapist should never request discounts, perks, or special treatment outside the therapeutic relationship. For example, if you’re a hairstylist, your therapist should not ask for discounted services. This behaviour undermines the professional boundaries necessary for therapy.

4. Contract You for Work

Similarly, your therapist should never hire you for tasks like designing business materials, creating artwork, or other professional services. Even if you have the skills to complete the work, doing so introduces a dual role that can create power imbalances and ethical conflicts.

5. Have a Dual Role With You

Dual roles occur when your therapist takes on another role in your life, such as being your family member, or colleague. These situations can make it difficult for the therapist to remain objective, potentially leading to harm or exploitation.

6. Ask for Google Reviews

While therapists may seek feedback to improve their services, they should never directly ask you for a public review. Such requests can feel coercive and may jeopardize your confidentiality. Ethical therapists prioritize your privacy over their marketing needs.

7. Make Plans With You Outside of Therapy

Your therapist should not invite you to social events, meet for coffee, or spend time with you outside of therapy. The therapeutic relationship must remain professional to protect its integrity and ensure your well-being remains the priority.

8. Ask for Favors

Therapists should never ask clients to help with personal or professional tasks, such as moving furniture, running errands, or providing advice. This type of request shifts the focus away from the client’s needs and can create uncomfortable power dynamics.

9. Make Sexual Comments or Advances

Sexual comments, innuendos, or advances are absolutely unacceptable in any therapeutic setting. This behaviour is a clear violation of ethical standards and should be reported immediately to the appropriate licensing board.

10. Share or Disclose Confidential Information

Confidentiality is the cornerstone of therapy. Your therapist should never share details about your sessions without your explicit (documented Consent for a Medical Disclosure) consent, except in specific circumstances mandated by law (e.g., harm to self or others). Breaching confidentiality is a serious ethical violation.

Why Boundaries Matter

The therapeutic relationship thrives on safety, trust, and respect. When therapists maintain clear boundaries, clients can feel secure and supported. When those boundaries are crossed, the relationship can become confusing, harmful, and ineffective.

What to Do If Boundaries Are Crossed

If your therapist engages in any of the behaviours listed above, consider taking the following steps:

• Speak Up: Address your concerns directly with your therapist if you feel safe doing so.
• File a Complaint: Report the issue to the therapist’s regulatory body or licensing board.
• Seek a New Therapist: If the relationship feels unsafe or unethical, it’s okay to move on to a different provider.

Therapy Should Feel Safe

Your therapist’s primary responsibility is to create a space where you feel safe, respected, and empowered to work on your goals. Ethical therapists understand the importance of boundaries and take their professional obligations seriously.

If you’ve experienced any of these boundary violations, know that it’s not your fault. Seeking support from another therapist or trusted professional can help you process your experience and regain confidence in therapy.

Would you like to explore working with an ethical, trauma-informed therapist? At VOX Mental Health, we’re committed to providing a safe, professional environment for every client. Contact us today to learn more.