Consent and personal boundaries: a practical guide

Consent is not a signature covering everything. It is ongoing communication about a specific act, at a specific moment, between specific people.

Five elements of consent

Freely given: without pressure, fear, threats or manipulation.
Clear: not based on silence or assumptions.
Specific: it covers what has been asked about, not anything else.
Informed: the essential information and boundaries are known.
Withdrawable: it can change at any time.

How to express a boundary

I simply say what I do or do not want.
I do not need to apologise or explain.
I can suggest an alternative only if I genuinely want to.
I repeat the boundary or leave if it is not respected.

How to listen to a boundary

I stop immediately.
I do not ask for proof or justification.
I do not try to change the answer.
I confirm what feels comfortable before any other contact continues.
I accept that the boundary may change.

Non-verbal signs

Freezing, moving away, tension or an inability to respond are not consent. When in doubt, stop and ask. If there is no clear positive answer, do not continue.

Power and payment

A professional relationship or payment does not buy consent. Neither the provider nor the client is obliged to accept contact outside their boundaries. Financial terms are considered separately from the right to stop.

In a DrHugger session

The framework must be discussed beforehand and confirmed throughout, with a clear way to pause and a complaints process. Do not proceed until these have been clarified for the specific session.

Consent does not eliminate every risk. Operational checks, accountability and immediate access to help are also needed.

Read DrHugger’s safety rules.

Boundaries in everyday life and at DrHugger

Personal preferences do not require an apology. For the service’s specific framework, read this guide alongside the safety information and session preparation guidance.

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