CRC Boundary Setting & Self-Care 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client asks their recovery coach for a hug at the end of a session. The coach should:
- Always agree to maintain a warm therapeutic alliance
- Always decline to avoid any physical contact
- Use professional judgment and follow agency policy on physical contact (Correct answer)
- Ask the client why they feel they need physical affirmation
Correct answer: Use professional judgment and follow agency policy on physical contact
Physical contact decisions should be guided by professional judgment, agency policy, and the client's cultural and personal context.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of a TIME boundary a recovery coach should establish?
- Not discussing topics unrelated to recovery
- Not accepting gifts from clients
- Defining session length and response windows for messages (Correct answer)
- Declining to attend a client's court hearing
Correct answer: Defining session length and response windows for messages
Time boundaries include clearly defined session duration and communication availability, protecting both parties from role diffusion.
Question 3: Vicarious resilience in recovery coaches refers to:
- The ability to tolerate client crises without emotional reaction
- Positive transformation the coach experiences through witnessing client growth (Correct answer)
- A technique for managing burnout through peer support
- The practice of resilience-based interviewing with clients
Correct answer: Positive transformation the coach experiences through witnessing client growth
Vicarious resilience describes the positive emotional growth coaches can experience by witnessing their clients' recovery journeys.
Question 4: A recovery coach working in a small community encounters a client at a local AA meeting. The most appropriate response is to:
- Leave the meeting immediately to avoid a dual relationship
- Greet the client warmly in front of the group to show support
- Acknowledge the client discreetly and let the client guide the interaction (Correct answer)
- Discuss the meeting content in the next coaching session
Correct answer: Acknowledge the client discreetly and let the client guide the interaction
Allowing the client to guide the interaction respects their autonomy and confidentiality in community settings.
Question 5: Which statement about professional boundaries is most accurate for recovery coaches?
- Boundaries are primarily legal protections for the coach
- Boundaries are flexible enough to become friendships after coaching ends
- Boundaries create a safe structure that supports client growth (Correct answer)
- Boundaries are less important in peer-based coaching than in clinical settings
Correct answer: Boundaries create a safe structure that supports client growth
Professional boundaries establish a consistent, predictable environment that enables clients to do recovery work safely.
Question 6: A recovery coach who frequently cancels sessions, arrives late, or forgets client details is most likely experiencing:
- An ethical violation requiring immediate reporting
- Compassion fatigue or burnout affecting professional functioning (Correct answer)
- A dual relationship that must be disclosed to supervisors
- Normal adjustment to a high caseload
Correct answer: Compassion fatigue or burnout affecting professional functioning
Inconsistent professional performance often signals burnout or compassion fatigue that requires the coach's self-care attention.
Question 7: When a coach sets a limit with a client (e.g., 'I can't accept phone calls after 8 PM'), the coach should also:
- Document the limit in the client's file and notify the supervisor
- Explain the reason for the limit and offer an alternative support option (Correct answer)
- Ask the client to sign a written agreement about the limit
- Reduce the number of sessions to enforce the boundary
Correct answer: Explain the reason for the limit and offer an alternative support option
Explaining the reason and providing alternatives maintains the therapeutic relationship while clearly communicating boundaries.
CRC Boundary Setting & Self-Care 3
A client asks their recovery coach for a hug at the end of a session.
The coach should: