Boundaries, Reflective Practice and Self-Care

This programme is designed to provide an overview of boundaries and the many ways in which they can be encountered and managed. The workshop will also include reflective practice and self-care as the three areas are closely linked. There is a strong emphasis on practical examples of boundary issues with illustrations of best practice offered throughout the training. 

Participants will explore why boundaries are important at work, which will include looking at scenarios created by participants reflecting the work they do. The workshop will build on the existing knowledge within the group in relation to boundaries and enhance confidence in participants managing their professional boundaries and the ways they are respected and guarded.  

The programme includes identifying positive behaviour in relation to our personal boundaries and understanding negative behaviour and how to identify actions that suggest an individual's boundaries are becoming inappropriate. Learners will be made aware of how to raise concerns in a professional manner, and where to seek advice and information about boundary issues as they arise. The workshop will allow space and time for learners to reflect on their own practice and discuss clients that they have had or are currently working with (suitably anonymised) in relation to managing boundaries. Self-care will also be covered in the programme as it is fundamentally linked to our ability to manage our personal and professional boundaries. 

This workshop is open to individuals and can also be delivered as in-house training to groups of employees.

Members of The Psychological Society of Ireland and The Addiction Counsellors of Ireland (ACI) can earn Learning Credits/CPD points for particpating in this workshop. 

 

"Liam delivered a fantastic workshop, in a down to earth manner, please thank him from me. One of the first courses I attended in all my years on this earth that I didn't yawn or feel bored.  Will be recommending that the training should be rolled out company wide."

Dave Fitzmaurice, Technology Access Tutor, Vision Ireland (formerly NCBI)

August 2024

 

“The training was very relevant to work that I do in MQI. I think that any of the three headings could be delivered as stand-alone topics. The training was well run and presented excellently by Liam with a good mix of group and class work.”

Padraig Smith, Project Worker, Merchants Quay Ireland

May 2024

 

"Our trainer, Liam, made us feel relaxed and comfortable. It was a great opportunity for our team to bond and to get an understanding of how other members viewed boundaries and how they coped in situations where their own boundaries were challenged. I felt much more confident leaving the session."

Dymphna Whitehouse, Receptionist, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Outreach Project (DROP.ie)

March 2024

 

“I liked the fact that the tutor had an addiction background and had many examples to help the group understand the topic at hand. I also liked that a lot of what was discussed is used throughout the workforce and that we got to hear about other scenarios which made us think of how we would best handle those situations.”

Ursula Higgins, CE Supervisor, Clondalkin Tus Nua, 

September 2023

Programme Duration

One full day.

Learning Outcomes

The aim of this training programme is to enable participants to:

  • Become aware of the importance of professional boundaries.
  • Define what are good/bad boundaries.
  • To highlight some of the areas where boundaries may become blurred and ways of proactively dealing with these.
  • To identify where a person’s boundaries are not clear and appropriate responses to this.
  • Define a “best practice” approach to maintaining boundaries.
  • Understand the need to have an effective framework in relation to professional boundaries, i.e. confidentiality, duty of care, consent to share information etc.
  • Improve professional boundaries, i.e. record keeping, ethical boundaries etc.
  • Improve personal boundaries, i.e. self‐disclosure, use of supervision.
  • Reflect on their practice in relation to boundaries
  • Understand the importance of self-care

Programme Content

Participants will receive links to supporting documentation and a copy of the presentation slides by email which will help them to develop their understanding of boundaries, reflective practice and self-care appropriate to this level. During the day, learners will have the opportunity to discuss and explore issues relating to boundaries, reflect on their practice and the ways in which they have encountered this as an issue in their work. There will be the opportunity over the training to allow participants to experience “real” situations and scenarios to transfer the theory of the course into practice. The importance of practicing self-care will be included along with discussions around what constitutes self-care.

The methodology used in this training will be a combination of the following:

  1. Participative: The participants will be asked to contribute to the training both in the large group and also in smaller ones. There will be a number of exercises throughout the training that are designed for the group to be split up into smaller groups.
  2. Experiential: The training will allow participants to contribute by using examples of anonymised clients that they have worked with or are currently working with in relation to professional boundaries.
  3. Theory into practice: The training will allow some role‐plays that will encourage participants to put the theory of maintaining boundaries into practice.
  4. Information giving: A copy of the presentation and information on relevant reading that will be emailed to each participant.
  5. Worker led: The training will be flexible to the needs of the group.

Suitable for: 

Psychologists, Counsellors, Psychotherapists, Nurse Practitioners, Youth Workers, Social Care Workers or any profession where maintaining professional boundaries are important.  

Connect with Your Trainer

The Learning Curve Institute will distribute a unique pre-course questionnaire to each participant in order to ensure the training meets the needs of everyone taking part and is tailored to the appropriate level, while also covering specific situations or scenarios as highlighted by the group.

The Learning Curve Institute also offers a bespoke post course support system whereby participants are provided with the contact details of the trainer and are free to contact them with any questions they may have.

Programme Certification

Participants will each receive an eCertificate of Completion in "Boundaries, Reflective Practices and Self-Care" from The Learning Curve Institute.