Ethics and Boundary Issues: Multiple Relationships

Description:

This NEW!!  offering discusses the ethical dilemma of multiple relationships. This issue continues to hold the attention of ethics commissions across all the major counseling disciplines. This study will investigate some issues of multiple relationships as they may present in counseling practice. Positions with respect to multiple relationships have shifted over the recent decade with the professions taking the time to consider the complex realities of the professional in the context of their community. This study is inclusive of the five major professions; psychology, social work, mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy and addictions professionals and will acquaint the reader with the current guidelines. The study will discuss the challenges and opportunities within the context of non-sexual multiple relationships. Please note that the term dual relationship is used interchangeably with the term multiple relationship as the various disciplines use one or the other and are essentially the same. The topic of multiple relationships is a broad one certainly greater than the scope of this study. We have chosen to concentrate on the area of non-sexual multiple relationships and rather than discuss various specific multiple relationships we will explore the dynamic quality of boundaries as they relate to professional practice. We believe the learner will leave this study with an enhanced understanding of the line between crossing a boundary and violating a boundary. This general understanding we feel will best serve practitioners when examining specific situations greater than examination of a multitude of individual situations. This offering meets the requirements in ethics and boundary for Florida Licensed Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors and meets requirements in ethics education for other states as well.

Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to describe the shift in thinking regarding multiple relationships in clinical practice.

2. Participants will be able to differentiate between a boundary crossing and a boundary violation.

3. Participants will be able to discuss the differences in ethics codes regarding multiple relationships across five counseling professions.

4. Participants will be able to describe two classifications of multiple relationships.

5. Participants will be prepared to manage multiple relationships through evaluating assumptions, reviewing for cognitive errors and utilizing recommended steps.

CE Credits: 3

CE Broker#:  10-913219, 10-913220

Content Area: Ethics, Confidentiality, Florida CE Requirements, Practice Readiness , Risk Management, Legal +Regulatory   

Agenda:

Hour One: Historical frame, definition of terms

Hour Two: Differences in professional codes

Hour Three:  Types of multiple relationships, management of multiple relationships

Methods: Pre-test, Study guide, Posttest and Evaluation. Q&A by Email.