Course Agenda

    1. Instructions

    1. Pretest Instructions

    2. Pretest

    1. Course Overview

    1. Introduction and Important Clarification

    2. Print Posttest Study Guide

    1. Client Abandonment

    2. Case Vignette: Abandonment without Termination

    3. Applicants, Clients, and Collaterals

    4. The Standard of Care

    5. The Duty of Informed Refusal

    6. Clinical Documentation

    7. Appropriate and Inappropriate Reasons for Termination

    8. Case Vignette: Example of Legal and Ethical Termination

    9. Reader Exercise

    1. The Value of Planned Termination

    2. Premature Termination and Precipitous Termination

    3. Causes and Consequences of Precipitous Termination

    4. Preventing Problematic Terminations

    5. Becoming Conscious of One’s Own Countertransferences

    6. Loss of a Relationship

    7. Required Video: Therapeutic Termination (5 minutes)

    8. Required Video: What Are Some Tips for Separating from Your Therapist? (3:34 minutes)

About this course

  • $27.00
  • 29 lessons

Course Details

Course Description

This course focuses on the legal and ethical standards related to termination of psychotherapy, as well as clinical practice principles involved in meeting those standards. The content examines prohibitions against client abandonment and ethical prohibitions against prolonging therapy when no longer beneficial. The course also examines clinical practice principles relevant to meeting applicable legal and ethical requirements in a clinically sound way. To complete this course, participants access online content that includes case vignettes, a reader exercise, and short webbased video clips. The online posttest must be passed with a score of 80% or better to print a certificate of completion.

Target Audience

Continuing education: This course can be used toward the ongoing six hour continuing education requirement for law and ethics coursework for California LCSWs.

Learning Objectives

After completing this module, readers should be able to do the following:

  • Identify, clarify, and differentiate core concepts of California law and ethical standards pertaining to termination of therapy.
  • Identify indicators of risk for premature or precipitous termination, and principles for mitigating those risks.
  • Identify features of clinical documentation that demonstrate compliance with mandates and ethical standards relevant to termination.

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