Avoiding the Slippery Slope in Private Practice Managing Complex Ethical Issues

Course Description

Mental health professionals are ethically and legally obligated to make clinical decisions grounded in their respective professional codes of ethics, applicable state and federal laws, and the recognized “standard of care”—not based on personal beliefs or values. Those in private practice may be at particular risk of ethical missteps, as they often lack immediate access to supervisory support, peer consultation, or a multidisciplinary team. This can increase the likelihood of encountering and mishandling complex—and sometimes avoidable—ethical challenges.

In this workshop, participants will engage with culturally diverse case examples and both small and large group discussions to apply professional codes of ethics, relevant statutes, and standards of practice to ethically complex practical and clinical situations. Core ethical and legal principles such as client rights, confidentiality and privacy, informed consent, and conflicts of interest will be explored in depth. Additional focus will be placed on practitioner competence, professional integrity, scope…