Healthy Boundaries

Where do you draw the line? How do you know if you overstep the mark?

Format: Video 

Time: 3 mins 

A Mentell facilitator's role within the circle is to create and hold space for members to share
their experiences, explore feelings, and ultimately find their own answers. On paper, this
sounds relatively straightforward; however, if we fail to examine our unique personality traits
and characteristics before stepping foot in a circle, we create the potential for the blurring of
boundaries. We invite you to take a moment to pause and reflect upon your life outside of the
circle setting: are you the type of person who always strives to help people solve their
problems? Do you tend to onboard other people's concerns? Do you feel the need to rescue people?

If any of the above rings true, it is important to remember your role as a Mentell facilitator - we are not here to provide solutions, but rather offer ‘boundaried support’.

For example, one of the most challenging situations you may face during a circle is
a member sharing their plan to take their own life. As a facilitator, an ‘un-
boundaried reaction’ would be to provide your contact details and let the member
know they can contact you anytime. However well-intentioned this may be, you are putting yourself, the member, and the charity at risk.

A ‘boundaried response’ would be to sensitively acknowledge the member's share and ask the member if they would be open to being put in touch with additional support services that provide care outside the circle. In doing so, you are ensuring the safety of all involved and crucially establishing and honouring healthy boundaries.