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Digital Seminar

Boundaries and Dual Relationships in Clinical Practice: Top Ethical Challenges


Speaker:
Frederic G. Reamer, PhD
Duration:
3 Hours 11 Minutes
Language:
Presented in EN, subtitles in EN, ES, DE, IT, and FR, handouts in EN, ES, DE, IT, and FR
Copyright:
26 Feb, 2025
Product Code:
POS150003
Media Type:
Digital Seminar


Description

As clinicians, we come face to face with ethical “gray areas” daily and often skate around potential issues that could put our business, clinical work, or clients in jeopardy.

And of these “gray areas,” boundary issues and dual relationship challenges are a leading cause of lawsuits and licensing board complaints filled against behavioral health practitioners.

In this training you’ll receive a truly expert analysis of a range of boundary issues that behavioral health practitioners encounter. From the ethics of intimate relationships with clients and former clients; the healthy parameters of practitioners’ self-disclosure; boundary challenges when working and living in small and rural communities to the use of nontraditional interventions and much more!

So watch ethics expert and former chair of the task force that wrote the NASW Code of Ethics, Frederic Reamer, PhD, as he provides guidance to behavioral health practitioners who grapple with these challenging situations and their aftermath. Dr. Reamer will cover a myriad of ethical dilemmas that behavioral health practitioners face in their careers and provide practical ethics-informed advice and actional solutions. You’ll also learn:

  • Ethical standards governing boundaries and dual relationship
  • Techniques to prevent harm to clients Protocols to prevent litigation and licensing board complaints

Purchase now and avoid ethical entanglements that can increase your risk of professional liability!

 

Credit


Self-Study Credit

This self-study program consists of 3.25 clock hours of continuing education instruction. Credit requirements and approvals vary by country and local regulatory bodies. Please save the course outline, the certificate of completion you receive from the activity and contact your local regulatory organization to determine specific eligibility and requirements. 



Handouts

Speaker

Frederic G. Reamer, PhD's Profile

Frederic G. Reamer, PhD Related seminars and products

School of Social Work, Rhode Island College


Frederic G. Reamer, PhD, Professor Emeritus has taught in the graduate program of the school of social work, Rhode Island College, Providence, Rhode Island for 40 years. Dr. Reamer received his PhD from the University of Chicago and has served as a social worker in correctional and mental health settings. He chaired the national task force that wrote the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and served on the task force that added technology standards to the code. Dr. Reamer lectures both nationally and internationally on the subjects of professional ethics, professional malpractice and liability, and documentation. In addition to ethics, his research and a teaching have addressed a wide range of human service issues, including mental health, health care, criminal justice, and public welfare. Dr. Reamer has conducted extensive research on professional ethics and has been involved in several national research projects sponsored by The Hastings Center, Carnegie Corporation, Haas Foundation, and Center for Bioethics of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Reamer has been an expert witness and formal ethics consultant in more than 130 litigation and licensing board cases throughout the United States. He is the author of many books and other publications on ethical standards in behavioral health, risk management, and documentation.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Frederic Reamer receives royalties as a published author. Frederic Reamer receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Frederic Reamer serves as an advisory board member of Ocean State Stories, Pell Center, Salve Regina University and an advisory editor for the Encyclopedia of Social Work Online. He is a member of NASW Code of Ethics Revision Task Force, National Association of Social Workers, and the Association of Paroling Authorities International.


Additional Info

Program Information

Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)

Access never expires for this product.

For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepesi@pesi.com.


Objectives

  1. Identify the nature of boundary issues and dual relationship challenges in the behavioral health professions.
  2. Determine high-risk circumstances that can lead to problematic boundaries and dual relationships.
  3. Utilize ethical standards governing boundaries and dual relationships.
  4. Choose protocols to prevent harm, litigation, and licensing board complaints related to professional boundaries and dual relationships.

Outline

The Nature of Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships in the Behavioral Health Professions
  • Code of Ethics
  • Boundaries and dual relationship case examples
  • Boundary crossings and boundary violations
  • Common practitioner mistakes
  • Prevent lawsuits and licensing board complaints
  • Unethical conduct
  • Assess boundary-related risks
  • Importance of careful documentation when managing boundaries
Boundary Issues in the Digital Age
  • Communicating with current/former clients online
  • Browsing for information about clients
  • Challenges related to clients searching for information about their therapists
Patterns of Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships
  • Intimate relationships
  • Emotional and dependency needs
  • Personal benefit
  • Altruism
  • Unavoidable and unanticipated circumstances
Ethical Standards: Boundaries and Dual Relationships
  • Conflicts of interest
  • Unethical conduct
  • The boundaries of self-disclosure
  • Professional negligence
  • Standards of care for ethically complex cases
  • Importance of supervision
  • What healthy boundaries look like
Risk Management Strategies Protecting Clients and Practitioners
  • Professional negligence and malpractice related to professional boundaries
  • Codes of ethics standards
  • Statutes and regulations
  • Standards of care and ethical practice
  • Ethical decision making
  • Create a strategy and common warning signs

Target Audience

  • Counselors
  • Social Workers
  • Psychologists
  • Addiction Counselors
  • Physicians
  • Marriage & Family Therapists
  • Psychiatrists
  • Behavioral Health Nurses
  • Case Managers
  • Other Mental Health Professionals

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