MFT Exam Prep

Today’s MFT law and ethics practice question explores the issue of standard of care. What is standard of care? Simply put, it is the usual and customary standards employed by therapists in their day-to-day work. The standard of care guides all that we do when we work with our clients: the interventions we use, the treatment plans we develop, the consultations we seek, our record keeping practices, how we advertise, how and when we collaborate with others... I think you get the point. Standard of care does not imply we must be perfect in all that we do, but rather, we must behave in ways that other reasonable and prudent practitioners would behave if and when they face similar situations. If we fail to behave in a way that meets the standard of care, we leave ourselves vulnerable to legal and professional ramifications.

Yesterday we explored the topic of initial interventions, including a free MFT practice question! Did you get it right? Check out the answer and rationale below to find out!

This week our free MFT practice question focuses on the topic of initial interventions. FYI: the exam looooves this topic. You are guaranteed to see a good number of questions asking you about the very next thing the therapist is going to do in the case presented. So what do you have to think of here?

In my last two blogs on test anxiety, I provided psychoeducation about the benefits of moderate levels of anxiety, as well as guidelines for how to utilize self-compassion to temper anxiety when it becomes debilitating. The goal of this month’s blog is to help you identify some common and unhelpful behaviors you may be engaging in when anxiety gets the best of you, and identify strategies to shift away from these behaviors and instead prepare for your exam more effectively and confidently.

Yesterday's FREE practice question featured the topic of treatment planning. Today we have the answer and rationale for you!

Our practice question blog a few weeks ago explored the topic of assessment. As we discussed then, therapists must conduct thorough assessments at the onset of therapy to understand why their clients are seeking treatment and what they hope to achieve in addition to managing potential crises. Armed with the information obtained through a thorough assessment, therapists are able to collaborate with their clients to develop comprehensive treatment plans, the subject of this week’s free practice question. Similar to assessment, treatment planning is an ongoing and dynamic process. What appears to be indicated at the start of therapy may change as clients’ needs change and treatment moves in unanticipated directions.

In honor of TDC's launch of our new continuing education courses, yesterday's practice question explored the legal issue of record keeping. Today we have the answer and rationale for you!

This week, we are excited to expand TDC’s professional development opportunities for therapists with the launch of our first continuing education courses. This first set of courses focuses on the laws and ethics of our profession. In honor of these courses, this week’s free MFT practice question will explore the legal issue of record keeping. More specifically, we will examine who has the right to access client records.

For this week’s MFT practice question, we explore the subject of assessment. If you are preparing for your licensing exam, whether the Law and Ethics or Clinical exam, you can expect to see multiple questions on this topic. The importance of conducting a thorough assessment cannot be overstated. Comprehensive assessments are necessary at the onset of treatment to help clinicians understand why their client is seeking treatment, what their client hopes to achieve, if any crisis issues are present and require attention, and ultimately allows them to develop an effective treatment plan. Knowing when to assess and what the priorities of assessment are will both be tested on your exam.