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101: Foundational Ethical Considerations and Conceptual Maps

CE Hours 3

About this course

Dr. Heitler addresses foundational concepts that all couple therapists need. 1. Fresh perspectives on the ethical considerations of dual relationships and of confidentiality, perspectives that differ from what many practicing therapists have been assuming. 2. A clear conceptual framework: Dr. Heitler explains with vivid, simple-to-remember illustrations the two core ideas underlying her treatment strategies. These illustrations offer conceptual clarity for therapists. In addition, couples appreciate the illustration of their therapist's treatment methodology. This outcome is important with regard to therapists' ethical principle of disclosure.

Learning Objectives

  • List two ways in which individual therapy for a married person that lacks a couple therapy component risks violating the core therapy ethical principles of beneficence and/or maleficence.
  • Describe how to inform clients of the therapist’s policies regarding confidentiality and also the one-therapist rule.
  • Explain the Hand Map and the Circle of Skills, two of the guiding concepts of effective couples therapy.

Learning Levels

  • Beginner and intermediate couple therapists.
  • Experienced individual therapists looking to add couple therapy to their offerings.
  • Experienced couple therapists looking to increase their technical skills and gain a conceptual framework for integrative treatment.

Target Audience

Who would find this course informative? 1) Therapists-in-training 2) Experienced individual therapy practitioners who would like to augment their practice with couple therapy or combined individual/couple therapy offerings. 3) Experienced therapists who want to understand why treating a married person in individual therapy without a couple treatment component may be an ethics violation. 4) Practicing couple therapists who would like to update themselves with new perspectives on the ethical principles of dual relationships and confidentiality as they pertain to couple treatment. 5) Practicing couple therapists who want an overall conceptual framework within which they can integrate multiple treatment methodologies, and that they can share with clients to satisfy the ethical principle of disclosure.

Course Instructor(s)

  • Susan Heitler

    Dr. Heitler first opened her private practice as a clinical psychologist almost 50 years ago. From her Denver office, in addition to treating both individual and couple therapy clients, Dr. Heitler has written 6 books, journal articles, plus over 300 psychologytoday.com blogposts that have garnered over 26 million reads.

    In response to her innovative perspectives, Dr. Heitler has been invited to speak on her treatment methods in most states of the US plus on almost every continent including Europe, Australia, China, India, and throughout the Middle East. In Lebanon she was chosen as the keynote speaker for the first-ever gathering of the Arab Psychological Association.

    Dr. Heitler's contributions have focused particularly on the importance of win-win conflict resolution skills for sustaining individual and also couple and family emotional health.

    Dr. Heitler's writings have earned high praise, starting with her first major book, From Conflict to Resolution, a book reviewed in the British Journal of Psychiatry as "a modern refreshing book . . . A highly commendable read for all therapists, particularly those striving to practice in what they hope is an integrative way" and by a practicing therapist in Alabama as "the best clinical psychology book I have ever read."

Disclosure

DISCLOSURE OF RELEVANT FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS CE Learning Systems adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity ― including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others ― are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (formerly known as commercial interests). The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity’s planners, faculty, and the reviewer: PLANNERS AND REVIEWER The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships. FACULTY The faculty of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.

References

  • Pope, K. S., & Vasquez, M. J. (2016). Ethics in psychotherapy and counseling: A practical guide. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Lazarus, A. A. (1994). How certain boundaries and ethics diminish therapeutic effectiveness. Ethics & Behavior, 4(3), 255-261. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327019eb0403_10
  • Bayaz‐Öztürk, G. (2022). Parental breakup and children's outcomes in the United States. Family Relations, 71(4), 1802-1816. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12662
  • Bradley, L. J. (2023). Ethical issues and ethical traps. The Family Journal, 31(2), 193-197. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480722115051
  • Chou, J. L., Lynch, L., Brooks, S., Krauthamer Ewing, E. S., Jordal, C., McDowell, D., & Bluteau‐James, V. A. (2022). Couple/marriage and family therapist extent of training for working with families impacted by substance use. Family Relations, 71(4), 1658-1678. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12690
  • Gurman, A. S., & Burton, M. (2014). Individual therapy for couple problems: Perspectives and pitfalls. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 40(4), 391-404.
  • Murphy, M. J., & Hecker, L. L. (2020). Ethical and legal issues unique to systemic family therapy. The Handbook of systemic family therapy, 1, 531-554. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119438519.ch23
  • Shah, A., Nagpal, A., Manjula, V., & Rynjah, I. L. (2016). Combined couples’ therapy: A qualitative study of individual and conjoint sessions. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 27(2), 99-108. https://doi.org/10.1080/08975353.2016.1169019
  • Whittaker, K. J., Johnson, S. U., Solbakken, O. A., Wampold, B., & Tilden, T. (2023). Childhood trauma as a predictor of change in couple and family therapy: A study of treatment response. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 12(1), 24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000181
  • Heitler, S. (2016). Prescriptions without pills: For relief from depression, anger, anxiety and more. Morgan James Publishing.
  • Estrada, A. U., & Holmes, J. M. (1999). Couples' perceptions of effective and ineffective ingredients of marital therapy. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 25(2), 151-162.
  • Heitler, S. (1998). Treating high-conflict couples. Psychologists' desk reference. New York: Oxford.
  • Jansen, M. A. (2007). Therapists' handling of secrets between partners in couple therapy.
  • Halford, W. K., & Pepping, C. A. (2019). What every therapist needs to know about couple therapy. Behaviour Change, 36(3), 121-142. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/bec.2019.12
  • Waite, L. & Gallagher, M. (2001). The case for marriage: Why married people are happier, healthier, and better off financially. Crowne.
  • Heitler, S. (1990). From conflict to resolution: Skills and strategies for individual, couple, and family therapy. NY: Norton.

CE Process Info

Content

  • Video
    2 parts
    • Class 1a - Ethical Considerations Unique to Couple Treatment
    • Class 1b - Two Essential Treatment Maps
  • Handouts for sharing with clients.
    2 parts
    • The Circle of Skills
    • The Hand Map
  • Reading for CE Credit
    1 parts
    • When A Therapy Client Is Married: Ethical Considerations and Standard of Care Proposals
  • Supplemental Optional Readings
    1 parts
    • The Hand Map and the Circle of Skills. From Heitler, S., Prescriptions Without Pills: For Relief from Depression, Anger, Anxiety and More.
  • American Psychological Association (APA)

    CE Learning Systems, LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CE Learning Systems maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work (NYSEDSW)

    CE Learning Systems SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0060.

  • New York Education Department for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (NYSEDLMHC)

    CE Learning Systems, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0072.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology (NYSEDPSY)

    CE Learning Systems dba CE-Credit.com & AddictionCounselorCE.com 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-0016.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Marriage and Family Therapy (NYSEDMFT)

    CE Learning Systems dba CE-Credit.com & AddictionCounselorCE.com is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Marriage and Family Therapy as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0045.

101: Foundational Ethical Considerations and Conceptual Maps
You Have Completed This course
$67
You are enrolled
  • CE Hours
    3
  • Type
    Self-Paced
  • Publication Date
    Jul 9th, 2024
  • Expires on
    July 10th, 2026

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