Boundaries are Good for Us
In my therapy practice, patients share experiences related to their parents, spouses, siblings, friends, bosses and subordinates that are disrespect boundaries. These situations give them grief. What is a boundary in a relationship? It is the space between people - physical, mental, emotional and sexual - that is essential for healthy relationships. A healthy relationship is one in which boundaries are respected. Let's take parents and children. Adult children are often critical of their older parents, feeling they know better. It could be true, but what is also true is that parents must be allowed to make decisions about their lives, independent of their children. Even when it's a challenge that children, who are providing care for their parents, have to make decisions that then affect their lives. For example, older parents are reluctant to move to be closer to their adult children, fearing change in their lives. The children feel it's more convenient if...