Training Description
Court-mandated clients and particularly, sexual abusers present certain ethical issues. At times we are faced with dilemmas regarding our decision making process. This workshop will identify some of the unique challenges facing treatment providers and explore the underlying ethical principles as well as understanding what ethics is and is not. We will be highlighting the major ethical issues of confidentiality, informed consent, competence, voluntariness, professional boundaries, and termination. While these are major ethical issues that most clinicians may be aware of, there are times when we are presented with an ethical dilemma that does not seem to automatically fall into one of these categories. This workshop will also address ethical dilemmas facing students and supervisors. Knowing our code of ethics is no substitute for a vigorous, thoughtful, and resourceful response. Workshop attendees will learn the steps to ethical practice decision-making using case examples, and learn that there are numerous proactive and reactive paths to address ethical challenges.
Trainer Biography
Becky Palmer, MS is currently in practice as a private consultant and trainer. Ms. Palmer did her post-graduate training in marriage and family therapy at the Institute for Juvenile Research (the University of Illinois) where she had been adjunct faculty in the Family Systems Program and previously was adjunct faculty at Illinois School of Professional Psychology where she taught Psychotherapy of the Sex Offender and Abusive Family Systems. She has presented trainings and workshops, regionally, nationally, and internationally on marital therapy with survivors of sexual abuse, working with abusive family systems, sex offender treatment and evaluation, ethics, and family reintegration. Trainings have been provided to an array of groups and individuals in the professional service field. She has also made several media appearances in Chicago to educate the public about sexual abuse. She is also a member of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers and has served on the Board of Directors and Executive Board as secretary and is past Chair of the ATSA Ethics committee. She has numerous publications.
Learning Objectives
This training is designed to help you:
- Recognize the hierarchy of legal and ethical sources of guidance for clinical practice
- Identify ethical principles and appropriate steps to take when faced with ethical challenges
- Develop multiple courses of action to address ethical and professional challenges/li>
- Encourage the development of peer and mentor networks