1. Sign up securely online.
2. Read the articles via online links.
3. Submit online evaluation & post-test.
4. Print your certificate.
GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION
Giving gifts is an ancient and common way to express gratitude, appreciation and love. Gifts in psychotherapy and counseling are very common and often take place around the holidays, in termination, at an important junction of therapy and with children-clients. Therapists have not only received gifts but have also been regularly engaged in gift giving to clients. Usually this involves symbolic gifts, greeting cards, transitional objects, souvenirs from vacations or educational material, such as books, audiotapes or CDs.
While traditional psychoanalysis has frowned upon gift giving in therapy and many therapists are reluctant or afraid to talk about it, the fact is that most therapists practice it regularly and find it acceptable and helpful as long as the gifts are symbolic, nor too expensive and appropriate.
Unlike commonly held beliefs, appropriate gift giving in therapy is neither unethical nor constitutes dual relationships. Uncritical and rigid across-the-board rejection of all gifts or putting in place "No gift policies" are likely to make clients feel rejected and humiliated, harm the therapeutic alliance and interfere with the therapeutic progress.
This two CE credit online course consists of one online article, which explores the clinical, ethical and cultural issues of gift giving by clients and therapists. It reviews the importance of understanding the context and meaning of gift giving and cautions against automatic rejection of appropriate gifts. At the same time the article encourages therapists, when appropriate, to explore with the client the meaning and intent of the gift giving. Additionally, it looks at the importance of cultural and contextual factors in gift giving. The course also covers concerns with wealthy clients, gifts that are given though clients' inherences, obsessive or inappropriate giving by clients and gifts that may create conflict of interest. Finally, it provides summary guidelines for gift giving in psychotherapy and counseling.
Educational Objectives:
This course will teach psychotherapists to
Demonstrate the importance and meaning, timing, culture and context of gifts by clients.
Evaluate their own gift giving practices.
Utilize effective handling of clients' gifts.
Review the ethical and clinical complexities relevant to gift giving.
Summarize guidelines for gift giving in psychotherapy.
Course Syllabus:
Definitions
Types of gifts by clients
Gift and therapeutic boundaries
Meaning
Timing
Wealthy clients
Gifts for referrals
Gifts through inheritance
Cultural aspects
Therapists' gifts to clients
Theoretical orientations on gift giving
Risk management considerations
Ethics of gift giving
Sample medications and other gifts by pharmaceutical companies
Summary & Guidelines
References & Resources
Share this:
Follow us on:
To receive clinical and practice updates, add your name to our confidential e-mail list. CLICK HERE
While traditional psychoanalysis has frowned upon gift giving in therapy and many therapists are reluctant or afraid to talk about it, the fact is that most therapists practice it regularly and find it acceptable and helpful as long as the gifts are symbolic, nor too expensive and appropriate.
Unlike commonly held beliefs, appropriate gift giving in therapy is neither unethical nor constitutes dual relationships. Uncritical and rigid across-the-board rejection of all gifts or putting in place "No gift policies" are likely to make clients feel rejected and humiliated, harm the therapeutic alliance and interfere with the therapeutic progress.
