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Safeguarding Your Psychotherapy Practice The Essentials (6 CE hours)

Course Summary

This engaging course provides participants with a deeper understanding of the role of the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) in relation to our profession, what constitutes unprofessional conduct, and the ethical guidelines that inform our practice as mental health providers. This course will provide participants with the following:
  • a clear overview of the BBS’s role and authority in regulating professional conduct
  • insight into behaviors that can increase vulnerability to disciplinary action
  • a review of key legal issues and ethical standards from the NASW and CAMFT Codes of Ethics
  • opportunities for self-reflection to strengthen ethical decision-making
  • concrete steps to safeguard one’s license (or registration) and uphold professional integrity
This course fulfills the BBS law and ethics requirement for license renewal.
Download course PDF to learn more.

 Course Reviews

“Thank you so much for this thorough training. I appreciate your training style so much, and glad that you are offering CEUS. I utilized the TDC when I was taking my licensing exams, and have thought highly of you since. Thank you so much for continuing to provide support to therapists post-licensure!”
     
Diana Drips, Washington
“Even though I was dreading doing this because, let's face it, L and E ces every 2 years is less than fun. However, it has inspired me to form an audit group with my supervision group to help each other take inventory of our practices and support each other with making sure we are adhering to best practices.”
     
Yasmine Binghalib, Connecticut
“This course was such a perfect way to sharpen my law and ethics skills! It was a great reminder of things I learned before, but needed a refresher. I love the audio presentation. It feels like I am getting supervision and support- and it's an enjoyable experience!”
     
Nicole Pallios Johnson, California

Learn More

Learning objectives

Upon completion, participants are expected to be able to:
  • Explain the function of the BBS
  • Identify and describe the different categories of unprofessional conduct
  • Explain what is legally required when a licensee or registrant is charged with a misdemeanor or felony offense
  • Explain key differences between ethical and unethical dual relationships
  • Identify at least 5 actions a mental health practitioner can take to safeguard their private practice

Course outline

1. Introduction and objectives
2. Pretest and review of rationales
3. Overview of the BBS's role
4. Review of unprofessional conduct
5. Code of Ethics
  • Conflicts of interest
  • Sexual relationships
  • Confidentiality
  • Impairment
  • Responsibility to the legal system
6. Review of key terms
7. Review of risk assessment and plan to reduce risk

Instructors

Amanda Rowan, LCSW, CEO and Founder of TDC
Amanda Rowan, LCSW | Founder and CEO
Amanda Rowan is an LCSW and the founder and CEO of the Therapist Development Center. Amanda graduated with honors from Dartmouth College, where she majored in Neuroscience. She earned her Masters in Social Welfare at UCLA. Since founding the Therapist Development Center in 2008, Amanda has prepared more than 100,000 therapists nationwide to pass their state licensing exams. She is a certified Gestalt Therapist who has worked with a wide variety of clients in a range of settings over the past 20 years. She is a highly effective instructor who has a passion for collaborating with seasoned therapists who understand what works because they do it every day.
Robin Gluck, LMFT, COO and co-founder of TDC
Robin Gluck, MFT | Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder
Robin Gluck is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She is the COO of Therapist Development Center. Robin was instrumental in creating the Law and Ethics Exam Prep Program and the MFT Clinical Written Exam. Robin has been teaching Law and Ethics to Associate MFTs since 2012 when she joined TDC. Robin has a Bachelor’s Degree from Emory University, a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from American University, and a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from San Francisco State University.

Who should take this course

This course is appropriate for mental health clinicians in California at all levels of experience to better understand the legal and ethical issues that can lead to disciplinary actions and identify concrete steps they can take to protect their psychotherapy practice. 

CE Credits

6 hours

Price

Course format

Online Self-Paced Recorded Audio Lecture.

How to access this course

Once registered, the course will appear in the participant’s Study Center, where participants can download the handouts and listen to recorded audio lectures.

Certificate of Completion 

Certificates of completion can be printed immediately after receiving a score of 80% or higher on the posttest and completing the course evaluation.

Grievance & Refund Policy

To view our grievance policy, click here. To review our refund policy and terms of use, click here.

ADA Needs

We are happy to accommodate your ADA needs. Please email: help@therapistdevelopmentcenter.com.

Date Published

October 2024

Contact Information

Therapist Development Center email: help@therapistdevelopmentcenter.com
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*Please check your state's specific requirements.
Therapist Development Center, provider 1449, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 5/30/24-5/30/27. Social workers completing this course receive 6 legal and ethical continuing education credits.*

Therapist Development Center is recognized by the New York State Education Department's (NYSED) State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers SW-0857.

*The Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) accepts continuing education credits given through ASWB ACE-approved courses.
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