Identifying your Vulnerabilities
It’s unfortunate that many clinicians don’t really understand their vulnerabilities until after they’re in an irreversible predicament. But after working through your defensiveness and anger, it’s important to reflect on how you came to make the decision you did so that you can learn from experience. Deeply reflect on questions such as 1. what did you idealize in this patient? 2. What risk factors in your personal life caused you to seek intimacy in your professional life? (Example: loss or break-up, problems in your relationships) 3. What protection plan would you have in place now to make sure you don’t repeat this in the future?
Taking Responsibility
Creating a protection plan is paramount to taking responsibility. A protection plan takes a 360 view of your organization, professional environment, and personal life. Are you working in an organization that is too demanding or does not adhere more stringent boundaries with patients? Do you have work habits including communication methods that put you at risk for crossing boundaries? Are there ways to improve work life balance?
Forgiving Yourself
Your most difficult task is to overcome your fear and shame and to find a way to forgive yourself. It is incredibly important that you find the right support and community to do this. Please give yourself time and patience because it can take years especially if your situation drags on.