Recognising inappropriate client behaviour
Updated: Sep 1
How to identify early warning signs and escalating patterns of inappropriate conduct.
Inappropriate behaviour often escalates gradually. Learning to recognise early warning signs gives you the opportunity to address issues before they become serious.
Early Warning Signs
Recognizing early warning signs can help you take proactive measures. Some behaviours to watch for include:
Inappropriate Comments: This can include comments about your appeareance that make you feel uncomfortable, overly personal questions, sexual comments/innuendos, etc.
Boundary Testing: Clients pushing back against your professional boundaries, such as asking for extra services, or persistent attempts of contact outside of sessions that you are uncomfortable with.
Unusual Requests: Clients asking for services that are outside your professional scope or ethical guidelines.
Intimidation: Clients exhibiting aggressive or threatening behavior, this can be verbally or physically.
What to Do If You Encounter Inappropriate Behavior
Trust your gut. You do not need certainty to act on discomfort. Options include: redirecting the conversation professionally, ending the session, or declining future bookings.
Trust Your Instincts: If something feels wrong, make sure to pay attention to that feeling and don't dismiss it. That feeling is often there to protect you.
Enforce Boundaries: Communicate your professional boundaries clearly to the client, which they may have already read in your booking policy.
Know When to Terminate the Session: If a client’s behavior becomes too inappropriate or threatening, do not hesitate to end the session immediately.
Document Incidents: Keep a detailed record of any inappropriate behavior, including dates, times, and descriptions of the incidents (espescially if you need/want to report it).
Seek Support: The Safer Project has resources on looking after your wellbeing and an anyomous incident reporting section. Reach out to trusted individuals such as friends or family, or colleagues if you work alongside others. If you need support right now and are struggling, reach out to organisations such as Samaritans (call 116 123, available 24/7) or a local mental health crisis team.
Keeping a Record
It is recommended to keep a record if you experience concerning behaviour. This report can be valuable if the pattern continues or if you need to report it. For your records it's useful to include:
The date and time of the incident.
What the incident was
Any witnesses present during the incident.
Your response to the behaviour and any actions taken afterward.
Conclusion
Being aware of and recognizing inappropriate client behavior is essential for solo practitioners, clinicians and similar. By trusting your instincts, identifying early warning signs, and maintaining detailed records, you can protect yourself and ensure a safe and professional practice environment. Always prioritize your safety and well-being while providing care to your clients.
Use The Safer Project incident reporting software on the website to anymously report any incident related to personal safety, comprimised boundaries and/or inappropriate behaviour. This will help us to continue to support the community.