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When an Individual-Therapy Client Is Married: Ethical Considerations

Individual therapy for married individuals presents multiple ethical challenges, particularly concerning the principles of beneficence (optimizing benefits) and inadvertent maleficence (doing harm to the client, their spouse, or their marriage).  Additionally, ethical dilemmas regarding dual relationships versus the one-therapist rule, therapist competence, and confidentiality present unique considerations when a client is married. Via research, case examples, and experiential learning, this webinar explores these multiple ethical dilemmas, then offers potential solutions.

 https://nefesh.org/workshops/Ethicalconcers222/view

When an Individual-Therapy Client Is Married: Ethical Considerations


Sunday, June 22nd, 2025   9:30 AM EDT -12:30 PM EDT
$59.99 Susan Heitler, PhD

Individual therapy for married individuals presents multiple ethical challenges, particularly concerning the principles of beneficence (optimizing benefits) and inadvertent maleficence (doing harm to the client, their spouse, or their marriage).  Additionally, ethical dilemmas regarding dual relationships versus the one-therapist rule, therapist competence, and confidentiality present unique considerations when a client is married. Via research, case examples, and experiential learning, this webinar explores these multiple ethical dilemmas, then offers potential solutions.

About the Presenter

Susan Heitler, PhD, is a distinguished clinical psychologist and accomplished author. Her six books, including the seminal work 'From Conflict to Resolution: Skills and Strategies for Individual, Couple, and Family Therapy' have contributed significantly to the field of psychotherapy, especially by creating a conceptual map for integrative treatment and by clarifying the principles of win-win conflict resolution.  Dr. Heitler has conducted workshops across the United States and internationally including in the Middle East, Australia, China, and Europe.  Close to 2 million viewers have watched her TEDx talk on lifting depression.  Her popular Psychology Today blog, “Resolution, Not Conflict”, has amassed over 26 million reads."

In 2016, she delivered the keynote address at the inaugural meeting of the Pan-Arab Psychological Association in Beirut, presenting a talk titled "Conflict Resolution: My Way, No MY Way."

This workshop Offers 3 Continuing Education Credits
This webinar is recorded and will not grant live credits.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Summarize at least one example in which individual therapy for a married client violated the ethical standard of beneficence.
  2. Explain at least one example in which individual therapy violated the ethical standard of maleficence.
  3. Roleplay how to explain their rules for confidentiality to clients when the treatment involves a combination of individual and couple therapy treatment formats.

Agenda:

Hour 1: Beneficence and Maleficence: lecture, case examples, and guided discussion.

Hour 2: Confidentiality, Dual relationships, The One Therapist Rule: case examples and practice case.

Hour 3: Win-win conflict resolution and other essentials for meeting the ethical concern of competence. Lecture, guided discussion, followed by small group exercise with a practice case.

This presentation is open to:
  • Social Workers
  • Professional Counselors
  • Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
  • Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
  • Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
Course Level: intermediate
Level of Clinician: intermediate
  • New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
  • Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
  • Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
  • Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives

Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.

Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by the NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
  • CE You! is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland.
    CE You! maintains responsibility for this program.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0325.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0774.
Refund Policy: Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.
48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.
*exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.