Ethics & Legal
111 articles found
2017 State of Psychotherapy and Practice Technology
Psychotherapy technology has been rapidly developing for several years now, and few things shift as fast as tech. To help catch us all up, I have compiled updated information on a few tech topics of interest to psychotherapists. The Year of Telemental Health It’s probably fair to dub 2017 the year of telemental health. I […]
Roy Huggins, LPC, NCC
April 7, 2017
The Birds and the Bees (and Autism)
As clinicians, we are morally and ethically charged to be available to speak to a variety of topics related to our clients’ developmental and psychological growth. This duty often feels more akin to a privilege, as we are able to bear witness to the emerging consciousness and identity development of our clients in this co-created […]
Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D.
April 4, 2017
Individual Differences and the Process of Informed Consent
The importance of considering individual differences and diversity in our clinical work has rightly received increased attention in recent years. The relevance of individual differences and diversity to all aspects of the professional services psychologists provide is clearly articulated in the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Ethics Code, APA, 2010) in Principle […]
Jeffrey E. Barnett, Psy.D., ABPP + 1 more
March 12, 2017
The Importance of Learning to Give and Receive Critical Feedback
When psychologists believe that there may have been an ethical violation by another psychologist, they attempt to resolve the issue by bringing it to the attention of that individual, if an informal resolution appears appropriate and the intervention does not violate any confidentiality rights that may be involved. (American Psychological Association, 2010, Standard 1.04) Given […]
Amanda R. Simmons, B.S.
December 31, 2016
6 Strategies for Ethical Termination of Psychotherapy
Termination is the term typically used when referring to the ending of the psychotherapy relationship. It may occur as an anticipated and well-articulated treatment plan that indicates the next phase of the psychotherapy process or it may occur precipitously or by surprise. Abandonment is a term that implies that the psychotherapist either ended the psychotherapy […]
Jeffrey E. Barnett, Psy.D., ABPP
October 23, 2016
Ethical and Safety Considerations for Use of Animals in a Therapeutic Setting
Studies have demonstrated notable benefits of the use of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) with clients (Hart & Yamamoto, 2015; Nimer & Lundahl, 2007). As AAT gains in popularity and becomes more prominently used by psychologists and psychology trainees in mental health settings (Fine, Tedeschi, & Elvove, 2015), it is crucial that the American Psychological Association […]
Kirsten Allen, M.A. + 1 more
October 19, 2016
Toward Mandatory Reporting of Animal Abuse by Psychologists
Mental health professionals in most jurisdictions are obligated to report incidents of abuse or neglect of children (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2016) or “at risk” adults (see, e.g., Stiegel & Klem, 2007), but are not required to report disclosures of animal abuse. Based on research supporting the link between pathological behavior and animal abuse, however, some […]
Elizabeth Shum + 3 more
October 12, 2016
What is Ethics Anyway?
Ethics for psychotherapists is a given; it’s a fact of life for mental health clinicians. It is a required course in graduate school, likely included in comprehensive exams, and is addressed to some extent in clinical supervision (at least when problems arise). It also is an area of emphasis on licensure exams, making sure future […]
Jeffrey E. Barnett, Psy.D., ABPP
September 11, 2016
Take the Informed Consent Quiz
Informed consent is an essential component of every psychotherapy relationship. When conducted effectively it lays the foundation for the psychotherapy relationship and process to come. The informed consent process ensures that clients possess the information necessary to make an informed decision about participation in the services being offered. As Handelsman (2001) articulates, we must provide […]
Jeffrey E. Barnett, Psy.D., ABPP + 1 more
March 27, 2016
Personal Reflection on Suicidal Ideation Within Psychotherapy
Most states in the U.S. require a psychotherapist to break confidentiality when a client verbalizes suicidal intent (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2013). The purpose of this paper is to share a personal reflection on suicidal ideation within the therapeutic relationship, and to question whether a psychotherapist’s ethical responsibility and personal morality are consistently clear-cut. […]
Chantal Bushelle
January 24, 2016
Take the Confidentiality Practices Quiz
It is a given that confidentiality is essential in the psychotherapy process. Clients share their secrets, embarrassing information, fears, and the like, specifically for the purpose of receiving needed assistance to overcome their stated difficulties. Without the promise of confidentiality, many individuals might not be able to establish the trusting relationship needed for psychotherapy to […]
Jeffrey E. Barnett, Psy.D., ABPP
January 17, 2016
The Misuse of Psychology
The American Psychological Association (APA) has been in the press again, and once again it is bad press. The old specter of collusion between psychologists and CIA interrogators and torturers was raised in an article in The New York Times (Risen, April 30, 2015). There really should not be anything controversial about this issue. It […]
Rosemary Adam-Terem, Ph.D.
November 12, 2015