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Online Course Title: Retired ~ Ethics VII, Part C, Psychodynamic Understandings
  Category: 7
  Credits: 1
 
 
  Objectives: • Become aware of situations that may make a practitioner vulnerable to boundary violations • Be able to recognize signs that a therapist is improperly crossing the patient-therapist boundary • Understand the reasons why sexual violations are prohibited • Be able to identify the sexual and eroticized feelings that practitioners commonly encounter within the transference and countertransference relationship.
  Description: One would think, after all these years of having it pounded into our heads, that sexual misconduct—entering into a sexual relationship with our clients or patients—would be a thing of the past. After all, the codes of ethics of all the professional organizations for social work, psychology, psychiatry, and counseling state unequivocally that sexual contact with current and former clients is unethical. However, next to suicide, boundary problems and sexual misconduct rank highest as causes of malpractice actions against mental health providers. Repercussions to the therapist are stringent, ranging from loss of license to criminal and civil prosecutions, resulting in monetary fines and even prison. You’d think that it wouldn’t be worth the risk. In this interview, we will hear a psychodynamic explanation about what the clinician in this situation is experiencing when his (or her) “who-ness” – that is his personal identity, needs, and vulnerabilities -- interfere -- with his (or her) “what-ness” –that is, his professional role and the trust implicit in that.
    Approval Bodies:
  • Professional Development
  • Florida Dept. of Health (Board of Social Work, Marriage & Family, Mental Health Counseling)
  • NAADAC, National Association for Addiction Professionals
  • National Board for Certified Counselors
  • Florida Board of Nursing
  • Association of Social Work Boards Approved Continuing Education (ACE)
  • California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP)
  • CAADE - California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators
  • Connecticut Certification Board, Inc.
  • Pennsylvania Certification Board
  • Florida Board of Psychology
  • California Board of Registered Nursing
  • California Association of DUI Treatment Programs (CADTP)