What Are Healthy Boundaries? Types and Practical Strategies

A boundary can be a simple request for someone to change their behavior. For example: “Please, don’t call me sweetie.” If the other person is unaware that their behavior is hurtful or bothersome, it might be helpful to provide some context or share your feelings. For example: “I feel demeaned when you call me sweetie. Please, call me Sharon. That would feel more respectful.”

You may need to set the same boundary multiple times, especially if the other person has been behaving this way for quite some time. If you gently bring awareness to the issue a few times, most people will become more self-aware. However, there are a minority of people who are unwilling or unable to recognize their own hurtful behaviors and make changes. In which case, there are other approaches that you can use for setting boundaries that I outline in The Better Boundaries Workbook (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WHHSD31/).

You want to go into the conversation feeling calm and confident. I recommend starting with some breathing exercises (https://www.livewellwithsharonmartin.com/3-simple-breathing-exercises-to-reduce-anxiety/), a short meditation, or whatever you find relaxing. Writing a script (you don’t have to follow it exactly; it’s to help you clarify your thoughts before sharing them) is another way to feel prepared for a difficult boundary-setting conversation. And rehearsing is another strategy that can help reduce your anxiety. You can rehearse with a trusted friend or by yourself by stating your boundary aloud or visualizing yourself asking for what you need.

• Prioritize your safety. Consider whether it would be safer to set the boundary when others are around to help if needed. • Have an exit plan in case you need to leave. • Write down what you want to say ahead of time, so you don’t get flustered in the moment. • Think about how you can reduce the likelihood of conflict without conceding. For example, make sure you present your boundary with kindness and clarity, use a pleasant tone of voice, and pick a time when the other person is attentive, sober, and willing to listen. • Go into the conversation with a positive mindset and feeling calm and confident. You can try a grounding exercise or another soothing activity to help you prepare. • Alternatively, consider whether you actually need to explain your boundary or ask the other person to change. Sometimes, you can set boundaries by making changes that don’t necessarily need to be discussed (especially if doing so will increase conflict). For example, you can simply block an ex-partner’s incessant text messages instead of asking them to stop. • If there is a conflict, practice self-care and get support from friends, loved ones, or professionals.

As you probably know, guilt-tripping is manipulative, and some people use it intentionally to pressure friends and family members to do what they want. They often feel justified in doing so. However, they may not be aware of how destructive it is to their relationships because they’re so focused on themselves. The important thing to remember is that the guilt trip reflects the guilt-tripper’s need for control—not that you’re doing something wrong.

You can talk to the other person about their behavior (guilt-tripping) and how it’s affecting you and ask them to directly communicate their needs and feelings. This may or may not work depending on the person and your relationship with them.

Alternatively, you can work on changing your thoughts and feelings. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is often helpful for this. I outline some basic CBT techniques in The Better Boundaries Workbook (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WHHSD31/) to help you reduce feelings of guilt associated with setting boundaries.

Be direct, firm, and kind when you state what you need or how you want to be treated in this situation. It might be helpful to use an I-statement. An I-statement focuses on how you feel (and what you want to be different in the future). It generally elicits less defensiveness and can encourage the other person to stop behaving in ways that are hurtful.

Here’s an example. Me: “I feel hurt when you make comments about my weight, and I’d like you to refrain from making them.”

You can also try a softer approach like this: “My feelings were really hurt when you made that comment about my weight. I’m sure you didn’t mean to be hurtful. I know you care about me. But I think it’s important for us to talk about things like this and be able to share our feelings so we can continue to have a good relationship.” This approach is more vulnerable and wouldn’t be appropriate in every situation, but it can be effective in close relationships. By giving the other person the benefit of the doubt, you’re creating less friction and defensiveness.

If someone is adamant that they didn’t do something, you may not be able to change their mind—and insisting that they take responsibility may only aggravate them further. In which case, you’ll need to decide if you need them to take responsibility or whether changed behavior is sufficient. You can also read more in this article: Why People Refuse to Take Responsibility and How to Cope (https://www.livewellwithsharonmartin.com/wont-take-responsibility/).

Narcissistic people are unlikely to change. So, don’t get into power struggles with them or expect that they will respect your boundaries. You want to shift your thinking from “How can I get the other person to change or respect my boundaries?” to “What can I do to take care of myself in this situation?”. This might include actions such as leaving the room, hanging up the phone, not engaging in an argument, not inviting someone to your home, or avoiding contentious topics. These may not be ideal boundaries, but they are useful because they are things you have the power to do. More information about setting boundaries with “difficult” people, including narcissists, is available in this blog post (https://www.livewellwithsharonmartin.com/set-boundaries-toxic-people/) and in The Better Boundaries Workbook (Chapter 11) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WHHSD31/.

The first thing to know is that setting boundaries with someone who is abusive, alcoholic, and manipulative is never easy!

Safety needs to be your top priority. If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency services. And if you’re being physically hurt, please seek help from The National Domestic Violence Hotline (U.S.) https://www.thehotline.org/ or Women’s Aid (U.K.) https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/ or a local service provider.

In general, when setting boundaries with a “difficult” person such as this, you need to focus on changing your own behavior rather than trying to get the other person to change. It’s very difficult to get someone with these characteristics/behaviors to change—no matter how nicely you ask or how many times you make a request. And doing so may escalate the conflict further.

The most effective way to set boundaries is to focus on what you can control. For example, if this person is yelling at you, you can leave the room or hang up the phone.

In addition, be mindful of how much personal information you share with this person going forward. Notice when you’re most likely to overshare (Is it when you’re angry? When you’ve been drinking? When you’re overtired? Etc.) Being aware of these vulnerable times will help you to be more prepared—and maintain your boundaries.

For additional information, please see my article How to Set Boundaries with “Toxic” People (https://www.livewellwithsharonmartin.com/set-boundaries-toxic-people/) and Chapter 11 of The Better Boundaries Workbook (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WHHSD31/), which details how to set boundaries with “difficult” people.

Be clear about what you will and will not do for your parents. If/when it makes sense, communicate your limits to your parents, siblings, or others involved. Be unapologetic—give what you can without causing harm to yourself, and don’t feel guilty about taking care of your own needs. Consider other ways for your parents to be cared for (hiring help, having a sibling provide direct care while you do indirect tasks like shopping or paying bills, etc.)

Here are some suggestions and things to consider when setting boundaries with your parent:

• Have realistic expectations. Your parent probably won’t change. • Be clear about the amount and type of help that you’re willing/able to give. If possible, outsource some of the caregiving or divide duties with siblings or other family members, so it doesn’t all fall on you. • Take good care of yourself. Recognize that this is a stressful experience, and you’re being retraumatized. Consider therapy or joining a caregiver support group.

We set different boundaries with different people in our lives. So, it’s likely that you need to set different limits with your son who has schizophrenia than with other adults in your life. If his illness affects his judgment and ability to take care of himself and keep himself safe, it makes sense that you would set boundaries to help care for and protect him. And it’s okay to set boundaries to care for and protect yourself. I empathize with your struggle. It’s hard for most of us to say no to our children—and I imagine it’s much harder when your child doesn’t understand that you’re trying to help him and that you need to take care of yourself.

Many of the tools that I use to teach boundaries can be found in The Better Boundaries Workbook (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WHHSD31/), including information on what boundaries are, how to set them, and the difference between weak and rigid boundaries. Active learning activities are often effective and engaging for teens. Some of my favorite activities for teaching teens about boundaries are role-playing and having them make their own creative videos about boundaries. You can also use clips from movies or television shows to spark discussions about healthy and unhealthy boundaries. Alternatively, you could ask teens to find examples of healthy and unhealthy boundaries in movies, TV shows, music lyrics, books, and on social media.

As you mentioned, if someone is going to be motivated to learn and use boundary-setting skills, they need to know how boundaries are going to improve their life. So, you might start with some concrete examples of the benefits of boundaries, such as how they improve relationships with friends, parents, and dating partners, time management, self-confidence, and so forth. Motivational interviewing can also be a helpful approach to getting buy-in.

My book, The Better Boundaries Workbook (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WHHSD31/), is written for adults, but you’ll find that lots of the content is appropriate for adolescents (especially those aged 16+).

Roleplaying is also an effective way to teach and practice boundaries and can be used with individuals, groups, and families.

You can help by modeling good boundaries. There are a number of other things you could do that might be helpful (empathic listening, talking to the parents, encouraging the teen to address these issues in therapy, teaching assertive communication skills, etc.). However, it’s important that you ask the teen what kind of help or support they need before doing anything else. Otherwise, your efforts to help may cross boundaries, and you run the risk of being another adult who is violating the teen’s boundaries.

Most of the resources that I use with my clients are included in The Better Boundaries Workbook (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WHHSD31/). This includes specific how-to steps, reflective questions, and exercises to build boundary-setting skills. I also use some short videos (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?app=desktop&list=PL3R0Zx0Yn5gW4DpSoBOFQi2_n6Dw4DmVi) that I created to explain various components of boundaries.

In general, the best way to set boundaries with a supervisor is to be clear, direct, and respectful. You may want to tailor your approach based on your supervisor’s personality, the employment setting, and your relationship with your supervisor. There is also a fuller discussion of setting boundaries at work in Chapter 7 of The Better Boundaries Workbook (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WHHSD31/).

Make a firm yet kind request of your coworker to stop rolling their eyes and telling you how to do your job. It’s generally most effective to be direct about what you want to change while being mindful that you’re asking in a respectful manner and using a pleasant tone. If you make several requests and your coworker persists, you may need to ask someone with more authority to help you. Or consider how you might put more physical distance between yourself and your coworker (such as asking to change cubicles or work shifts).

People on the autism spectrum have a wide range of abilities, so the approach will need to be tailored to fit the individual’s strengths and abilities. In general, I would aim to keep the boundaries simple and consistent as people on the autism spectrum can have difficulty adapting to changes and reading social cues. Some other helpful tips can be found on these websites: https://www.autismspeaks.org/social-skills-and-autism https://autismallianceofmichigan.org/setting-expectations/ https://teenage-resource.middletownautism.com/teenage-issues-and-strategies/relationships-and-sexuality/relationships/boundaries-public-private-personal-space/ https://www.pesi.com/blog/details/1085/how-to-teach-a-child-with-autism-about-personal-space

Here are a few tips that can help. • Keep a running list of all the challenges you overcome. • Notice the progress you make toward your goals—no matter how small it seems. • Look for things you do right rather than focusing on what you do wrong. • Avoid comparing yourself to others. • Celebrate your successes. • Work on accepting and loving yourself. https://www.livewellwithsharonmartin.com/love-yourself/ • Forgive yourself for past mistakes. https://www.livewellwithsharonmartin.com/self-forgiveness/