Service providers who want to build healthy working relationships with clients must establish clear boundaries early and maintain them throughout the service period. Appropriate boundaries are crucial to trauma-informed care. They help set realistic expectations for the service relationship and engender safety and accountability for clients and staff alike. Saying “no” or setting limits can feel counterintuitive to “helping work”—but boundaries support and empower clients, creating an atmosphere of mutual respect in which clients are equal partners with shared responsibility. Boundaries allow providers to be transparent about their scope and capabilities, also protecting them from burnout.
