What must counselors prioritize when considering boundary extensions?

When counselors consider boundary extensions, prioritizing therapeutic goals is crucial for several reasons. Therapeutic goals serve as the foundation of the counseling relationship, guiding the interventions and strategies used in treatment. This focus ensures that any extensions of boundaries align with the best interests of the client’s progress and overall well-being.

Therapeutic goals ensure that counselors make decisions that support the clients’ healing and growth, maintaining a professional and ethical approach. This prioritization helps to keep the counseling relationship effective, purposeful, and centered on the client’s needs rather than the therapist's preferences or other factors.

In contrast, while a client’s wishes are important, they must be integrated within the framework of therapeutic goals to avoid potential harm or boundary violations. Personal beliefs and professional experiences should also be considered, but they must be secondary to the objective of facilitating the client’s progress within the established therapeutic framework. Therefore, the emphasis on therapeutic goals is vital to maintaining ethical standards in counseling.