Many of us who choose to work in human services have big hearts and generous spirits. We develop our practice and communication skills, but we don’t always consider our boundaries, especially when the needs of those we work with so often exceed our own. Boundaries are essential to practice when working in the helping professions, as they make caring sustainable and protect skilled workers from compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatization, and burnout. Boundary practice encourages us to consider our energy and how we are spending it, and to understand pre-existing patterns of relating that attract us to the helping professions while also making boundary practice more difficult.

In this workshop, participants will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of different patterns of relating, to become better stewards of our professional energy and make our self-care practices more personal and effective. Participants will gain a better understanding of how they feel and think at work relative to how they are negotiating boundaries with clients and coworkers. Boundary work ensures we are bringing our best selves to the work we love so much.