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GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION
This intermediate-level course critically examines the concept of risk management in psychotherapy. Therapists have been frightened by risk management experts, attorneys and insurance companies to never touch a client, to limit self-disclosure and gifts, to avoid bartering, making home visits, leaving the office with clients and, by all means, to stay away from any form of dual relationships. The course helps therapists differentiate between boundary crossing and boundary violation, understand the origin of and the forces behind risk management practices and realistically look at the level of risk that therapists are facing in their line of work. While minimizing risk is important, the course is concerned with risk management practices that are carried out at the expense of clients' welfare and of therapeutic effectiveness. Finally, the course reviews the ethical and legal considerations regarding risk management and proposes ethical ways to minimize risk to therapists without compromising their clinical integrity.
Educational Objectives:
This course will teach psychotherapists to
Describe the complexities of risk management practices.
Define and explain boundary crossings and boundary violations in psychotherapy.
Report the origin of and the forces behind risk management.
Explain how to minimize risk to therapists without compromising their clinical integrity.
Cite the relationships between risk management and the standard of care.
Discuss the relationships between risk management practices and the codes of ethics and the law, with emphasis on California law.
Utilize tools to make clinical and ethical decisions with regard to risk management concerns.
Course Syllabus:
Introduction to Risk Management
The Concept of Risk Management
Prevalence of Risk Management
Generational Gap
Confusing Ethics, Law and Risk Management
Risk Management vs. Clinical Effectiveness: Flasher in Alaska
The Frightening Power of Fear
Culture of (Litigating) Victims
Forces Behind Risk Management
Concern with Boundaries
Out-of-Office Experiences
Slippery Slope - Sloppy thinking
Transference Abuse
The Ethics Codes and Risk Management
Standard of Care and Risk Management
Tort, Elements of Malpractice
Laws and Risk Management with Emphasis on California Law
How risky is the risk?
If the Risk is Low, Why is the Fear So High?
Where are the Risks?
Risk Management May Increase Risk of Misconduct
Risk Management May be More Costly to Insurance Companies
Beyond Risk Management
Guidelines to Ethical Risk Management
Boundary Violations: Do Some Contended Standards of Care Fail to Encompass Commonplace Procedures of Humanistic, Behavioral and Eclectic Psychotherapies?
The Curse of Risk Management
Out-of-Office Experience:
Telehealth Risk Management
Risk Management: Suggestions for Practice
Guidelines for ethical risk management
Bibliography
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