Establishing Professional Boundaries Keeps Therapists Safe – Ethically & Legally Ethics are much more than just "the law." Therapists regularly encounter ethical dilemmas that are not as clearly defined, and they must be informed in order to make sound decisions.

During this webinar, participants examine the role of therapeutic power and its resulting dynamics in therapy. Dr. Patterson discusses professional boundaries during her presentation, focusing on the importance of therapists and counselors keeping themselves safe – ethically and legally. The webinar also addresses self-care, including professionalism and the implications when self-care is lacking.

Course Content

A. Shall we Dance?
  1. Power struggles in therapy
  2. Origins of power
  3. Example of power struggle
B. Clients and Power
  1. Client use of power
  2. Boundary testing
    a. Case example: Testing limits
    b. Case example: Client offering gift
C. Power and Boundary Violations
  1. Therapist appropriate use of power
  2. Case example
  3. Misuse of power
D. Boundaries
  1. Teaching boundary setting
  2. Confidentiality
  3. Establishing boundaries
    a. Social contact
    b. Physical contact
    c. Touch in therapy
      (1) Ethical considerations of non-sexual touch
      (2) Guidelines for appropriate touch
     d. Case examples
      (1) Encouraging touch among clients
      (2) Making touch a ritual
E. Other Boundary Considerations
  1. Financial dealings
  2. Self-disclosure
F. Attending to Self-Care
  1. Burnout
  2. Case examples
    a. Charlotte
    b. William
  3. Preventing burnout
G. Professionalism
  1. What is it?
  2. Projecting professionalism
  3. Case example
    a. Cary
    b. Danny
  4. Decorum
  5. Technology
  6. Respectfulness