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the time and money the client had to see themselves and their problem, difficulty, or issue as being worth it. The sacrifice of money encourages a higher level of commitment from the client. This higher motivation can contribute to the work being more successful. Astrologers sometimes create an artificial boundary of money by overcharging or undercharging for their work. When an astrologer overcharges for their work they are unavailable to the people that they could potentially help. When they undercharge, they may end up with a full schedule, burnt out, and no time to see the people who matter most in their lives. When your schedule is completely full it sometimes happens that clients who really need to see you can’ t because you have no time. Furthermore, when undercharging( or overcharging for that matter) you tell the world what you think your work is worth.
Money is often a boundary for astrologers either by having too much or having to little, or fearing that they will have too little. With too much money, astrologers who do not have any financial pressure to develop a practice may hold themselves aloof and unavailable to their clients. Too little money can slow down or even prohibit a person from entering the field of astrology, as it takes some money to open a practice. Fear of too little money, or income too irregular, can prevent otherwise very talented astrologers from entering the field altogether. In either case, their potential clients suffer by their absence.
Early in my career, clients would sometimes ask for time payments, or an IOU, or a loan. Other than the inconvenience of the money itself, there is a boundary issue. When you loan money to a client you form a another, secondary relationship with this person. Dual relationships are always confusing and you are better to avoid doing this. Don’ t give time payments, or a reduced rate. A rate reduction also puts you in a special secondary relationship with the client which will tend to reduce the potency of the work. If you feel the work is important to do, and the person can’ t afford it, do it for free. This stops you from stepping into another relationship with the client, by becoming their loan officer or benefactor. Every professional does some work for which they aren’ t paid. Lawyers do pro bona work etc. This is a legitimate way of contributing to the society. Just be certain that this is appropriate for both you and the client before so doing.
Relationship— these fall into two distinct categories. One, boundary issues that focus on the dynamics of the astrologer / client relationship while in session. Two, boundaries or limits that govern this relationship outside of session.
In session, simple things like how you dress and where you sit and how the furniture is placed are important considerations. Boundaries must be set and maintained by the astrologer. Boundaries either facilitate the work or oppose it. Naturally, you want your external boundaries set in a way that promotes comfort, openness, and safety for your clients.
While in session there are certain psychic boundaries that need to be maintained. It is important that your clients know they have your complicity in sharing whatever they want, freely with you. However, there are some“ common sense” boundaries surrounding how and what you share.
During the course of dialogue you may entertain impressions or judgments which, while seeming pertinent, are really purely personal. This occurs when your client triggers some issue for you. Particular feelings or thoughts pointing to your own internal process surface in your consciousness. These psychic contents are best noted by you, but kept private. Maintaining this psychic boundary allows you to stay as fair witness, a trusted consultant for the client, while insulating them against your own emerging process. Naturally, you still want to share any insights or strategies that occur to you. Many times my best ideas didn’ t occur while studying the chart alone, but while in dialogue with the client.
The danger of inviting clients into your inner life, by sharing your personal impressions, is that the work ends up becoming more about you and less about them. The purpose of your professional relationship is for the clients to deal with their own issues. You don’ t want to be in collusion with them, inadvertently giving permission to avoid their own issues, while focusing on yours. There are guidelines for sharing personal information with clients. I take up the complexities of this type of boundary in other works. Here the point it to be aware that you can’ t be a healing tool for your client if the focus shifts away from their situation to your own inner process.
It is prudent to recognize that the very nature of the astrologer / client relationship places some obligation on astrologers, as therapists, to monitor( even avoid) contact with clients outside of session. Generally, it is considered unethical in the helping professions to have any other relationship with a client. One type of relationship will impact another. This is why some service professions caution against accepting a person as a client where any prior relationship exists, i. e. a family member, friend, business associate, someone from whom you receive a service, etc. Further, it is often suggested to not develop a relationship beyond therapy with a client.
In some professions it is considered unethical and a violation punishable by license suspension for certain types of boundary transgressions. [ CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 ]
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