Barricaded, we get no nourishment and cannot share our gifts. Healthy boundaries are like a filter. They shut out what we don't want and let in what we do. They allow us to give and take. They are flexible and changing.
Defensive barriers are tight and rigid.
We use them for survival only. We are in a state of siege. We cannot communicate or relate from behind them. Often we make rigid boundaries in an attempt to create permanence and the illusion of security. Healthy boundaries protect those around us too.