Founder's Statement

I am pleased to offer these Professional Boundaries, Smart Boundaries™ continuing education seminars. Over the years, I have attended various workshops and lectures on the topic of ethics and boundary violations. To my dismay, most of these programs fell short of conveying the information needed to safeguard the professional-patient/client relationship. They failed to enlighten attendees about the process of boundary transgressions. In addition, there was little emphasis on the vulnerabilities which evolve over time as we develop as professionals and which we encounter during our personal life. In response, I founded Professional Boundaries, Inc., which is dedicated to providing high quality educational seminars, academically and clinically-based on the topic of professional, ethical boundaries, with the goal of protecting professionals and the public which they serve. Unique to these seminars is the authenticity and directness of teaching which comes from the experience of a boundary violation. Despite excellent training and over twenty years experience in the mental health field, I discovered during a period of personal crisis that I too was vulnerable to a boundary transgression. The experience which stemmed from this painful and regrettable event has been used to create the Smart Boundaries™ Seminars/Workshops.

As professionals, we learn from one another. Allow me to share with you what I have learned- at great, personal and professional costs. I believe that you owe it to yourself, your practice and to those you serve to attend this seminar and to begin to practice Smart Boundaries™.

Stephen J. Schenthal, M.D, M.S.W.
Founder and President
Professional Boundaries, Inc