Ethics & Legal
111 articles found
Psychotherapist Professional Wills: Easy to Avoid, Crucial to Address
Importance of Creating a Professional Will As therapists, we take time, intention, thoughtfulness, and care in developing our relationships with clients. Many of us see this bond as a vehicle for change. We may acknowledge our clients’ attachments, sometimes even dependency, on us at certain stages of treatment, and we strive to operate with integrity and […]
Robyn Miller, PhD
December 2, 2024
My “Best Practices” in Psychotherapy: Part I
As I write this, I am 75 ½ years old, doing psychotherapy part-time, and coming off the highest practice income month ever in the history of my 50-year career. I continue to find the work captivating and meaningful. As one of my graduate school professors, the renowned psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, M.D., used to remind us, […]
Steven J. Hendlin, Ph.D.
October 14, 2024
My “Best Practices” in Psychotherapy: Part II
Techniques: Weaving and Blending Surface and Depth I have found it a powerful combination to utilize both pointing out and working with surface behaviors as they occur and alternatively, interpreting unconscious dynamics as appropriate. The surface—what is happening in the present as the patient presents themself—blended with making conscious what has been unconscious, may work […]
Steven J. Hendlin, Ph.D.
October 14, 2024
Suicide Prevention Using Artificial Intelligence: Collaborative Support Approach
The World Health Organization (WHO) asserts that suicide is a significant global health problem. In 2016, the suicide rate was estimated to be 10.6 per 100,000 individuals, with 80% of these cases occurring in low-income and middle-income countries (Fazel et al., 2020). Often, individuals at risk of suicide do not seek help from their clinicians […]
Caleb Onah, MS
October 14, 2024
The Psychotherapeutic Benefits of Informed Consent with Suicidal Patients
Informed consent has three dimensions: legal, ethical, and psychotherapeutic, and it is often considered a precursor to the intervention. However, there is no clear break between when the informed consent process ends and when psychotherapy begins because the informed consent process can also contain psychotherapeutic elements. By giving more attention to the psychotherapeutic aspects of […]
Samuel Knapp, Ed.D., ABPP
September 15, 2024
A Brief Synopsis of The Third Part of the Suicide Prevention Triangle: Detailed Documentation
Effective patient suicide prevention is composed of three interrelated facets: assessment, intervention, and documentation. Examples of free assessments include the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS; available at http://cssrs.columbia.edu/) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) SAFE-T Suicide Assessment Five-step Evaluation and Triage (available at https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/sma09-4432.pdf). Two examples of suicide intervention programs are […]
Stewart E. Cooper, Ph.D., ABPP
September 13, 2024
2024 Editor’s Column 59(3)
Happy Summer SAP! I hope warmer weather and long, sunny days have been on your calendar. Summer can mean a lightened workload, more time with loved ones, or a conclusion to the academic year. Given the American Psychological Association’s annual conference on the horizon, the importance of collegial relationships within the mental health community has […]
Zoe Ross-Nash, PsyD
July 8, 2024
Writing Psychotherapy Research With Generative Artificial Intelligence (This Article Was Mostly Written by a Human)
Wilson T.: Hey ChatGPT, write an introductory paragraph for a paper on using artificial intelligence to help write psychotherapy research articles. Write it in the style of the Society for Psychotherapy Research’s newsletter, “Psychotherapy Bulletin.” ChatGPT: In the dynamic realm of psychotherapy research, the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for assisting in […]
Wilson T. Trusty, Ph.D
May 14, 2024
Personal Psychotherapy as a Self-Care Strategy for Psychotherapists-in-Training
Numerous authors have highlighted the many challenges and stressors experienced by graduate students in clinical and counseling psychology throughout their training (e.g., Harder, 2024; Prakash et al., 2023; Sosoo & Wise, 2021) and that “given the multiple demands and expectations for students in professional psychology programs” some level of stress is an inevitable part of […]
Alana N. Levine, B.S. + 1 more
April 9, 2024
YO, BIG SHAQ, THE ONE AND ONLY
The Vibrant Public Policy Process The public policy/legislative process is anything but static. It continues to evolve, reflecting subtle societal changes that many of our colleagues do not appreciate. Former APA President Ron Fox used to remind those of us interested in prescriptive authority (RxP) that visionary Ohio academic leaders were nursing’s critical RxP catalyst. […]
Pat DeLeon, Ph.D.
April 8, 2024
Using Self-determination Theory to Inform Interventions for Suicidal Patients
Consider this example: A psychologist sought consultation because her patient was not responding adequately to treatment. The consultant asked her three questions: Have you built a connection with your patient? Does your patient feel a sense of control and engagement in psychotherapy? Is your patient building the skills to handle their emotions and life difficulties? […]
Samuel Knapp, Ed.D., ABPP
April 5, 2024
I was reminiscing just the other day. While having coffee all alone.
At the end of 2023, Alex Siegel, Director of Professional Affairs, Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, reported that there were 40 jurisdictions (39 effective), out of a total of 55 states and territories, which had adopted and were part of the PSYPACT Commission. The Psychological Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) allows for increased access of […]
Pat DeLeon, Ph.D.
January 16, 2024