Description

Handouts

Outline

Common Ethical Dilemmas in Clinical Practice

• Separation of personal values from professional judgments
• Contextual and cultural factors in ethical decision making
• Overlapping or multiple relationships
• Boundary crossings or violations within counseling relationships
• Billing, fees and gifts
• Emergent issues involving technology in clinical practice

Confidentiality: Its Central Importance in Therapeutic Relationships

• Confidentiality, privacy and privilege: How do they differ?
• Special considerations with children, teens and adults
• Groups, crisis, couples or family therapy
• Exceptions: Therapists’ duties and responsibilities
• Informed consent
• Responding to subpoenas and court orders

Boundaries: The Cornerstone of Ethical Practice

• Clarify and articulate one’s personal and professional boundaries
• Cultural components of boundary definitions
• Boundary crossings vs. boundary violations
• Decision-making regarding boundary shifts

Suicide and Violence Assessment: Current Best Practices

• Recognition of risk factors and warning signs
• Thorough assessment and intervention guidelines
• Current best practices for management of high risk situations
• Ethical and legal responsibilities to warn and/or protect

Mandated Reporting of Abuse or Neglect: Important Considerations

• Children, disabled adults, domestic partner, elderly
• Detection and assessment guidelines
• Cultural factors in assessment of abuse
• Mandated reporting requirements
• Gray area issues in abuse reporting

Risk Management: Preventing Strategies to Minimize Risk and Promote Client Well Being in Your Practice

• High-risk patient or situation
• Current ethical guidelines and legal requirements
• Adherence to practicing within the limits of one’s competence
• Careful attention to beginning and ending professional relationships
• Documentation and consultation
• Recognition of conflicts of interest or situations which are personally activating
• Maintain clear boundaries and appropriate self-care

Navigating Ethical Challenges in Mental Health Practice

• Current guidelines for clinicians
• Best practices in responding to suicide, violence and abuse issues
• Important risk management strategies for clinical practice
• Boundary dilemmas and how they can affect you
• Avoid common hazards in clinical practice related to professional ethics

Faculty

Susan Zoline, Ph.D. Related seminars and products: 1

Associate Professor

Argosy University-Chicago

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Susan Zoline, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who has been practicing, teaching and consulting in the Chicago area for over 35 years. Dr. Zoline was Professor of Psychology and University Fellow at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, Chicago, where she taught clinical masters and doctoral students for 30 years and received numerous teaching/service awards. More recently Dr. Zoline is a Clinical Faculty in the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program at Adler University in Chicago. Dr. Zoline’s areas of professional expertise include professional ethics, suicide, violence and abuse prevention/assessment/intervention, supervision and risk management.

Dr. Zoline is a longstanding member of the Illinois Psychological Association Ethics Committee which she currently co-chairs as well as currently serving as Academic Section Chair. Additionally, she has served as an expert witness for the IL Department of Financial and Professional Regulation regarding clinical psychologist licensure issues. She has worked clinically in a broad variety of settings and regularly consults and provides workshops to mental health and other professionals on topics related to professional ethics.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial: Susan Zoline is an Associate Professor of Psychology/Core Faculty Member for the Illinois School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University.

Non-financial: Susan Zoline is a member of the American Psychological Association and Illinois Psychological Association.