Course Overview
The counseling relationship is the driving force that equips clients to tackle problems in their environment. However, client and counselor do not exist in isolation. Ethical decision making can be examined through both ecological and moral lens to assist the therapist within a complex system (Maddock 1993). Although family relationships are some of the most important and influential in clients’ lives, they can also present unique ethical challenges when it comes to counseling. These challenges also might become acute when working with stigmatized populations (Janson, 2002). Questions begin to arise such as: How should secrets be discussed or withheld during therapy? Should a family therapist treat one member of the group individually during or after the course of treatment? What are appropriate boundary extensions for treating multiple members of the same family? How does a counselor navigate the ethical treatment of a family?
By examining the possible situations that pose ethical dilemmas, counselors can prepare themselves for a multitude of ethical decision making and ensure they are providing the best possible treatment for couples and families in therapy. This interactive event will allow participants to explore and discuss ethical issues facing couples and family therapy.
Learning Objectives
- Participants will identify ethical considerations in family therapy.
- Participants will apply ethical decision making models for family therapy.
Course Outline
| Module | Topic |
|---|---|
| Module 1 | Introduction & Course Overview (Conflicts of interest, learning objectives, limitations) |
| Module 2 | Examine Family Therapy Ethical Models |
| Module 3 | Group discussion through case studies on ethical decisions. |
| Module 4 | Q&A |
Instructor Bio
Anthony is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. He is a Certified Gottman Therapist and is the co-lead for the Center for Marriage and Family at Cognitive Behavior Institute. Anthony also has extensive experience working with individuals with substance use disorders in a variety of clinical settings. He previously was an instructor at The University of Pittsburgh’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program teaching clinical skills in substance use disorder and crisis management.
Course Bibliography
*See course registration page.
Approvals
Cognitive Behavior Institute, #1771, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 06/30/2022-06/30/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 2 ethics continuing education credits.
Cognitive Behavior Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0098 and the State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0646 and the State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0216.
A New York State licensee is responsible for complying with New York State laws, rules and regulations.
https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/psychology/laws-rules-regulations.
Cognitive Behavior Institute has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7117. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Cognitive Behavior Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Cognitive Behavior Institute is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Cognitive Behavior Institute maintains responsibility for content of this program.
Social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors in Pennsylvania can receive continuing education from providers approved by the American Psychological Association. Since CBI is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education, licensed social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, and licensed professional counselors in Pennsylvania will be able to fulfill their continuing education requirements by attending CBI continuing education programs. For professionals outside the state of Pennsylvania, you must confirm with your specific State Board that APA approved CE's are accepted towards your licensure requirements. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) has a process for approving individual programs or providers for continuing education through their Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. ACE approved providers and individual courses approved by ASWB are not accepted by every state and regulatory board for continuing education credits for social workers. Every US state other than New York accepts ACE approval for social workers in some capacity: New Jersey only accepts individually approved courses for social workers, rather than courses from approved providers. The West Virginia board requires board approval for live courses, but accepts ASWB ACE approval for other courses for social workers. For more information, please see https://www.aswb.org/ace/ace-jurisdiction-map/. Whether or not boards accept ASWB ACE approved continuing education for other professionals such as licensed professional counselors or licensed marriage and family therapists varies by jurisdiction. To determine if a course can be accepted by your licensing board, please review your board’s regulations or contact them. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit.