In today’s world, proper division of responsibility in the relationship between a client and a specialist plays a decisive role.

Building Trust Through Clear Boundaries in Psychotherapy

In today’s world, proper division of responsibility in the relationship between a client and a specialist plays a decisive role. If a psychologist fails to establish clear boundaries and uses a standardized, superficial approach, it may lead the patient to feel unnoticed and abandoned in addressing their own problems. Such a mismatch between expectations and reality not only undermines individual trust but also negatively affects the reputation of the entire profession.

When a client encounters a situation in which their personal experience is only glanced at, and responsibility for making life-changing decisions is partly shifted onto the specialist, a sense of hopelessness arises. In this context, it is crucial for the professional to create conditions for a trusting interaction, where responsibility is clearly divided. Without this, even a brief negative experience can derail a path toward positive change, reshaping the perception of the entire psychological support system.

Thus, establishing healthy boundaries and giving thoughtful attention to the client’s experiences is not merely a professional duty, but the foundation of successful cooperation. Only with a balance of responsibility between consultant and client can one hope for real and lasting trust, which will help overcome critical moments and pave the way for positive changes.

How can a negative experience of interacting with a psychologist affect overall trust in this profession?

A negative experience with a psychologist is capable of not only leaving an individual feeling discomfort but also lowering the general level of trust in the profession as a whole. When a situation arises in which a psychologist fails to establish a clear separation of responsibility or uses a standardized, superficial approach, the client may feel that their experiences are ignored or trivialized. This creates a sense that the professional is unable to provide truly adequate support, meaning that help should not be expected in critical moments.

For example, one of the excerpts from the material in file link txt emphasizes:
"One of the most important conditions for the 'consultant-psychologist' interaction is the necessity of a strict division of responsibility between them. The vast majority of clients expect not only participation in solving their problems but also attempt to shift the responsibility for the upcoming decision onto the psychologist. One of the conditions for successful psychotherapy is establishing boundaries of responsibility between the consultant and client."
(Source: link txt)

It is evident here that if a psychologist fails to create a space for a trustful interaction and to establish clear boundaries for their own responsibilities, a negative experience can instill in the client a feeling of hopelessness and disbelief regarding the possibility of receiving professional support. Such a perception, of course, tends to spread and devalue the entire practice, as the client begins to associate an unsuccessful encounter with systematic shortcomings. This impression is especially dangerous when an individual feels that their own share of responsibility for life decisions is ignored or replaced by the specialist’s mechanistic approach.

Thus, negative interactions—where the client perceives an unacceptable mix of responsibilities, misunderstanding, or insufficient empathy—carry the risk of eroding trust not only in a specific specialist but also in the psychology profession as a whole.

Supporting citation(s):
"One of the most important conditions for the 'consultant-psychologist' interaction is the necessity of a strict division of responsibility between them..." (source: link txt)