Digital Ethics and Social Networking in Psychotherapy and Counseling
Presented by Ofer Zur, Ph.D.

Web Conference Description

This presentation will review cutting edge clinical and ethical complexities that clinicians face in the 21st century. It will review how the Internet and computers have affected the way therapists and clients interact and get informed about each other. It will cover issues such as online transparency, clients Googling therapists, emails and texting between therapists and clients, therapists Googling clients, how to respond to clients "Friend Requests" on Facebook, and much more. It will also review the evolving standard of care issues and provide guidelines for office policies, Informed Consent and ethical ways for record keeping of e-mails, texts, and social networking communications. The course will also explore the digital divide between older therapists (aka Digital Immigrants) and younger clients (aka Digital Natives) as well as between older and younger therapists and parents and children.

Outline of Web Conference:

• Psychology of the Web and the Digital Divide
• Effect of modern technologies on psychotherapy and counseling
• Online transparency – clients Googling therapists
• Therapists Googling clients: Is it ethical?
• Use of e-mail in psychotherapy
• Use of texting in psychotherapy
• Clients who text during sessions
• Therapists who text during sessions
• Record keeping of e-mail and texts
• Standard of care and digital ethics
• How to respond to clients' "Friend Requests" on Facebook
• Social networking and online marketing

This Web Conference is designed to help clinicians:

1) Understand the basic elements of digital ethics;
2) Cope with ever increasing online transparencies;
3) Review the impact of technology on psychotherapy;
4) Identify ways to ethically respond to clients Friend Requests on social networking sites.

About Ofer Zur, Ph.D.

Ofer Zur, Ph.D.

Ofer Zur, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and forensic consultant practicing in Sonoma, CA, a fellow of American Psychological Association (APA), Div. 42. He is the director of the Zur Institute, which offers over 100 online courses and is one of the most extensive online CE programs for psychologists, counselors, social workers, MFTs and nurses. His teaching, consulting with therapists, and writing focus on private practice outside managed care, ethics, standard of care, boundaries, dual relationships, and Internet addiction. His books include Dual Relationships and Psychotherapy (Springer, 2002, co-edited with A. Lazarus), HIPPA Friendly (Norton, 2005), Private Practice Handbook (ZI, 2007), and Boundaries in Psychotherapy (APA Books, 2007). Dr. Zur is deeply concerned about the harm inflicted by dogmatic, inflexible and ideologically rigid psychotherapeutic practices. His web site at www.zurinstitute.com provides dozens of free articles and guidelines for psychotherapists and the public.

Continuing Education (CE) Information

1.5 CE credits will be provided for this Web Conference. GoodTherapy.org is approved as a continuing education provider by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS).

How the Web Conference Works

In short, participants will have two options for participating in this event. Option one, listening to the event by calling into our teleconference center. Option two, listening to the event by calling into the teleconference and viewing the event online. Prior to the event all participants will be sent an email with instructions on how to log in to the teleconference and videoconference center. This event will include lecture, interaction, and question and answer periods.

Registration Information

This Web Conference is available for $20 to GoodTherapy.org members.

This event has already taken place. An audio recording for this event may be available in the Member's Area.