Top 5 Limit Setting Tips for Behavioural Health Professionals

Effective limit setting is a critical element of CPI’s Nonviolent Crisis Intervention^® Training, serving not only to mitigate risk behaviours but also to create a more supportive environment in behavioural health settings like mental health clinics, psychiatric hospitals, and substance abuse treatment centres. This approach fosters a deeper understanding of clients’ daily challenges and encourages constructive solutions. 

By implementing these limit setting tips, you can help redirect escalated behaviours toward positive outcomes and cultivate a safer, more collaborative atmosphere for everyone.

Tip 1: Use Limit Setting to Teach, Not Punish 

It is important for your clients to understand that their actions, whether positive or negative, lead to predictable consequences. Presenting practical, motivating choices and outcomes provides a structure for good decision-making.

Tip 2: Self-Regulate When Setting Limits 

Offer choices that teach and reinforce appropriate behaviour. This limit setting reminder requires patience and consistency, as do many challenging interactions. As the Integrated Experience teaches us, the only behaviour you can control is your own. Remember this to help you self-regulate during especially challenging interactions, ensuring a safe and successful outcome for everyone. 

Tip 3: Nonverbals Are Key to Effective Limit Setting  

Be intentional about your use of personal space and nonverbal communication. A person who is upset may not be able to focus on everything you say. When it is time to speak, be clear, speak simply and offer a positive choice first. If you don’t state the positive choice first, they may not even hear it. 

Tip 4: Problem Solve with Empathic Listening  

Listening to understand and see the other person’s perspective—empathic listening—plays a key role in limit setting situations. This fosters rapport that sets the stage for successful problem-solving.  

Knowing the individuals in your care better helps you to understand and address the underlying causes of behaviour and find solutions together. 

Tip 5: Learn to Offer Choices with Consequences 

Limits should not be phrased as threats. For example, saying, “If you don’t attend therapy, your weekend privileges will be suspended” uses an ultimatum to gain the wanted behaviour. This approach of forcing behaviour often leads to a power struggle. 

Effective limits offer choices with consequences, such as, “If you attend therapy, you’ll be able to go to all the activities this weekend. If you don’t attend therapy, you’ll have to stay behind. It’s your decision.” By offering choices with consequences, you admit you cannot force a client’s decision. However, you can decide what will happen as a result of their choices. 

Turn Challenges into Opportunities 

These strategies not only help defuse potential crises but also promote a collaborative atmosphere where clients can navigate their challenges more successfully. As you integrate these techniques into your behavioural health role, remember that the goal is to build understanding and trust, ultimately leading to better outcomes.