Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes explains that there are five essential types of personal boundaries—physical, interpersonal, emotional, cognitive, and environmental—defines each with brief examples (e.g., personal space, trust/sharing, feelings/thoughts, and respect for possessions) and notes that boundary violations commonly lead to feeling unsafe and powerless in relationships.
Did you know that there are five different types of boundaries? The first one everybody knows, and that's physical boundaries. How close do I let you get to me? How much direct eye contact am I comfortable with? Interpersonal boundaries refer to how much I trust and share with other people. Emotional and cognitive boundaries refer to how I feel and what my thoughts and perceptions are. They're mine and I have a right to them, even if you disagree. And then environmental boundaries refer to your stuff and whether people respect your stuff. They don't take your sweaters, they don't read your diaries, etc unless you give them permission. So consider whether you're respecting your own boundaries and who in your life respects all five of your boundaries. Because when our boundaries are violated, we often feel unsafe and powerless.
