Being a caregiver to children who have suffered trauma, particularly adoptive mothers, can be very challenging and lead to burnout. One way to avoid this is by setting emotional boundaries. These types of boundaries are the dividing lines that protect the separation of your emotional experiences from those of others.
By setting boundaries around emotional experiences, you can protect yourself from being trampled upon by others, as well as from absorbing someone else's emotions that could lead to burnout and compassion fatigue. You can take breaks when needed, set clear expectations, and ask for help when required while keeping your emotions protected. Setting up a free clarity call with emotional boundary expert and coach Dawn Baggett is also an option for anyone looking to implement this type of self-care practice.
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Today’s topic is emotional boundaries.
In particular on this episode I’m focusing on emotional boundaries for moms like me. In many of our adoptive families children have suffered an enormous degree of trauma and in particular the loss of not only their first mother but other caregivers as well in their formative years.
Different Types of Boundaries
You’ve seen & heard quite a bit about setting boundaries by now I suppose. And perhaps you have a good grip on what it means to set personal boundaries with others, and have even put this into practice in your own life. Even so, to make sure that we’re on the same page today, you need to know that what I mean by the word “boundaries” is that dividing line (boundary) you make to protect something of yours from trespass by another that says you will not continue past that line (boundary) with the other person. In practice it may sound something like, “I will not continue listening to you yell obscenities at me;” a boundary to protect your finances might sound like, “I will not continue paying you while your work is unfinished;” one to protect property – “I won’t leave without locking the door first”; one to protect physical safety – “I won’t stay in the house where there are unsecured weapons.”
With all these various boundaries to protect different things, there may be an emotional component. But today I want us to pick apart and focus primarily on emotional boundaries. You may set boundaries to protect your time, your physical body, your work/ability to get work done, your belongings. You can also set boundaries to protect your emotional safety.
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