The comments on revealing our personal experiences to clients got me
thinking.  I know they are usually not appropriate but I also feel they
ARE SOMETIMES appropriate.  This got me doing a little "AskJeeves"
search on "therapeutic relationships".   I found a very interesting site
at:   http://fox.klte.hu/~keresofi/psychotherapy/index.shtml
which states:

> In psychoanalytic psychotherapies no self-disclosure is one of the rules of the boundary of
> relationship the therapist has to maintain. Analytic psychotherapists do not talk to patients
> about themselves, their daily lives, preoccupations, their past or future plans, nor about their
> experiences and feelings. Nevertheless this strict rule sometimes is relaxed if the therapist is
> convinced that to do so would be in the interest of therapeutic progress.......
>
>> Self-disclosure is used more freely by non-analytic psychotherapists and by counsellors. In
>> self-help groups, of course, self-disclosure is outright required as the principal vehicle to
>> healing.
>>

Now, if an analytic psychotherapist can sometimes relax the no self
disclosure rule surely we can too.  I'd say we fit in more with the
counselors level anyway.   In our quest to be scientific we must not
forget the need to reach a quick rapport with the client.   I make
decisions based on my assessment about how to proceed and what depth to
cover.  (As with all things I am aware of my limitations and make
appropriate referrals and do not practice outside my qualifications.)  I
abide by the ask many questions before giving any advice principle.  I
have a pretty good "feel" for the client before I proceed.  Sometimes
self disclosure is the thing that "works".

ILCA's code of Ethics states the IBCLC shall:

> Base her/his practice on scientific principles, current research, and information
>

I maintain that we pull from many disciplines and psychology  is one of
them.  If therapists can can find a middle ground with the use of self
disclosure, well, so can we.

Carla, RN, IBCLC

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