Use of Self in Practice: Boundaries & Professionalism in Care Work

Support and care work is deeply relational. You’re expected to be human, flexible, and responsive, often in complex situations where people are distressed and systems don’t respond fast enough.

This workshop explores how to use yourself in the work in ways that are ethical, sustainable, and genuinely supportive, without slipping into over-giving, over-sharing, role drift, or burnout. Rather than framing boundaries as rigid rules, we’ll look at them as a core part of good care and ethical practice.

Designed for support and care workers who want to stay compassionate without losing themselves in the process.

What we’ll cover

Use of self in care work

• What “use of self” actually means in day-to-day practice
• How your personality, values, lived experience, and emotional presence shape the work
• The difference between intentional use of self and unconscious over-involvement

Boundaries in real-world practice

• Internal vs external boundaries (emotional, time, tasks, availability)
• Why boundaries often feel hardest in caring roles
• How over-identifying, rescuing, or “being the only one” can creep in
• When flexibility becomes role drift

Power, responsibility, and pressure

• How power operates in support relationships
• Why “they asked me to” doesn’t remove responsibility
• The impact of trauma, neurodivergence, and people-pleasing on boundary-setting
• Recognising when pressure is coming from broken systems, not personal failure

Practical skills

• Language for holding boundaries without becoming cold or defensive
• Responding to guilt, urgency, and emotional pressure in the moment
• Knowing when to escalate, document, or seek supervision
• Supporting people safely without taking responsibility for outcomes

Who this workshop is for

• Disability and NDIS support workers
• Psychosocial and community support workers
• Care workers in relational roles
• Team leaders and supervisors wanting stronger boundary practice

Who this workshop is for

• NDIS support workers
• Psychosocial peer support workers
• Case managers
• Allied health professionals (social workers, OTs, counsellors, psychologists, etc.)
• Anything interested in learning more about ethics, power and real world practice

About me :)

I’m a social worker in my fifth year of practice, with the past three years spent working in private practice. I also hold a Bachelor of Laws, which means my work is always grounded in a strong understanding of legal, ethical, and professional responsibility. I bring a practical, systems-aware approach to ethics, supporting workers to navigate real-world complexity while protecting both client wellbeing and professional integrity. I'm neurodivergent myself and I work with complex trauma presentations and eating disorders so I get it.