Boundaries

I understand that I need to work on setting and keeping my boundaries with the people I work with in the community. We recently visited the Ohio Reformatory for Women (ORW) in an effort to gain more information about a program Dr. Patty envisioned to work with moms and their babies living with them in the facility. Upon entering the facility and going through security, we received PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) training and had our questions answered that we had prepared beforehand about ORW and the nursery program currently in effect. Both Dr. Patty and Jessica, a clinical social worker at ORW (and our main contact), shared with us that the women in the prison would be manipulative if boundaries are not maintained. I was conscious of this fact when we went to go visit with the moms, but still immediately started getting to know them and hold their babies. This was a brief visit, so I thankfully did not experience any challenges or negative experiences while we were there. The moms genuinely seemed thankful to have us there for conversation, and to hear about what they wanted out of the changing nursery program. I am very much looking forward to visiting the moms and their babies, and beginning the program there hopefully soon. I will have to make sure to be constantly keeping myself in check as far as boundaries go so that the moms and babies get as much out of the program as possible.