When is it appropriate to share personal information with clients?

Sharing personal information with clients is appropriate when it directly relates to their needs because it can build trust, promote engagement, and facilitate a more effective helping relationship. When the information shared is relevant, it demonstrates understanding and empathy, helping clients feel more comfortable and supported. This approach ensures that the focus remains on the client’s needs and the context of their situation, rather than detracting from professional boundaries.

When practitioners maintain a professional stance while selectively sharing relevant personal experiences or information, they can enhance the client's sense of connection and understanding without compromising their own professional integrity or the therapeutic alliance. This careful consideration of the appropriateness of shared information promotes effective practice while safeguarding professional boundaries.

In other contexts, such as sharing personal information all the time or whenever a client asks, there can be risks of blurring professional boundaries, reducing the effectiveness of the helping relationship, or even leading to ethical dilemmas. Likewise, maintaining that personal information should never be shared can impede relationship building and deny clients the opportunity to glean insights that may benefit their situation.