I chose the first example because I think it’s one of the most common situations social workers will encounter throughout their careers. It’s important to point out and learn about the boundaries that come with electronic communication and the different ways we stay in touch with clients. In my view, the clinician should have set up those technology boundaries ahead of time and clearly outlined them. For example, a good boundary might be no contact after hours. I also think texting can be appropriate, but only within reasonable hours and when the content is kept professional. Texts should really be limited to things like scheduling appointments or letting the clinician know if the client is running late. Personal details or therapeutic discussions should stay within the session. Moving forward, the key is making sure clients fully understand those boundaries and that they’re documented so that there is no confusion.

The boundary dynamic I chose was Unanticipated Circumstances because I think this is something all of us should think about more deeply. I imagine most social workers don’t mean any harm, but situations like this can easily come up, especially for those of us working in smaller communities. While I haven’t experienced this personally, I know someone who is a clinical social worker in a small town. Her clients often shared where they liked to eat or hang out with friends, so she was careful to avoid those same places with her husband or friends. She told me that if she did run into a client, she never initiated contact. Instead, she waited to see if the client acknowledged her first, and if they did, she kept the interaction brief and professional. I think this is such a great real-world example of how boundaries play out in practice. In the article “Boundary Issues in Social Work: Managing Dual Relationships”, Reamer (2003) mentions that “the challenge for social workers in these circumstances is to manage boundary issues in ways that minimize possible harm to clients and colleagues.” It also emphasized that being aware of risk factors, along with training and role-playing possible scenarios, can help staff be better prepared for situations like this. This made me realize that professionalism goes beyond just following ethical rules, it’s also about protecting both the client and the social worker. Moving forward, I want to carry this with me into my own practice and be intentional about finding that balance between professionalism and ethics.

I think creating a social media policy and sharing it with clients is such an important step, especially in today’s society, where technology is everywhere. Laying out clear guidelines before any therapeutic interventions really helps set the tone for the client/social worker relationship. In the article, “Social Work Boundary Issues in the Digital Age”, Reamer (2023) talks about how important it is to establish “clear professional boundaries” early on so clients understand that texting, emailing, or social media use will only happen on a professional level and that there can’t be any personal connections through social media sites. I think this makes a lot of sense because it helps avoid confusion or blurred lines later on. Another thing I took away from this is the importance of developing good instincts about when a boundary might be at risk of being crossed. Knowing when to pause and check in with a colleague or supervisor for guidance is just as important as setting the policy itself. To me, it shows that boundaries aren’t just about rules, they’re also about self-awareness and making sure we’re protecting both the client and ourselves.

References

Reamer, F. (2023). Social work boundary issues in the digital age: Reflections of an ethics expert. Advances in Social Work, 23(2), 375-391.

Reamer, F. G. (2003). Boundary issues in social work: Managing dual relationships. Social work, 48(1), 121-133.