Overview of Law and Ethics for Therapists and Coaches

Presented by Patrick Williams, EdD, MCC, BCC on 08-16-2013 at 9 a.m. Pacific to 11 a.m. Pacific (2 p.m. Eastern)

Maintaining ethics is a crucial aspect of any business or human service, and this practice is most crucial in working as a 'helper' or 'healer' where people in therapy assume and expect an atmosphere of trust. Although there are legal aspects to every profession, ethics is a gray area, like codes of behavior. As a result, ethical practice requires critical thinking and adaptive actions based on the uniqueness of a situation that may arise in the professional relationship with a person in therapy.

Dr. Williams will explore various ethical codes but also some simple codes that can apply and be helpful to anyone, regardless of profession. Human ethics interweave with human conduct, and being conscious of choices allows you to evaluate how they may affect you and those in your web of influence or interaction.

This web conference is beginning instructional level and designed to help coaches:

  1. Distinguish between ethical guidelines and principles and ethical decision making;
  2. Reference ethical guidelines, similar to the elements of good therapy, in professions such as professional coaching;
  3. List opportunities and pitfalls of an online therapy relationship;
  4. Discuss the most common ethical complaints in the therapy field.

If you have any questions about this web conference or would like more information, please contact us here.

Event Reviews from Members

This web conference taught me that ethics are not hard and fast. Often they depend on the circumstances and added details. - Judy Koehler, MA, LPC, NCC

This was a very good review of ethical issues. It was very interesting to hear about how therapists "get in trouble" and what they've done. - Elizabeth Read

Continuing Education (CE) Information

Two CE credits will be provided by GoodTherapy.org for attending this web conference in its entirety.

GoodTherapy.org is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements. GoodTherapy.org solely is responsible for all aspects of the program.

GoodTherapy.org is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

GoodTherapy.org, SW CPE 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 #0395.

To receive CE credit hours for an archived event, you will need to complete a survey as well as a 12 or 15-question exam, verifying that you listened to or watched the event in its entirety. Archived CE events generally are considered "homestudy" by licensing boards.

Registration Information

Premium and Pro Membership with GoodTherapy includes access to this web conference at no additional cost, as well as other member benefits such as a profile listing in GoodTherapy's Therapist Directory. Not yet a member? Sign up for a Premium or Pro Membership, here.

Just want CE credits? Sign up for a monthly or annual CE Subscription with GoodTherapy to get unlimited access to our CE Program, including this event, other live CE web conferences, and hundreds of hours of homestudy courses.

Mental health professionals who are not members can attend this live web conference for $30.95 or access the homestudy recording for $15.50. Sign up here to purchase this CE course and earn a CE certificate.

If the event is canceled by GoodTherapy, registrants who purchased the event will be notified and the charge for the event will be refunded

If you have any questions or would like information regarding disability accommodations, please contact us.

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Meet the Presenter

Patrick Williams, EdD, MCC, BCC

Patrick Williams, EdD, MCC, BCC

One of the initial pioneers to the coaching field, Dr. Pat Williams is often referred to as the ambassador of life coaching. Licensed as a psychologist since 1980, Pat began executive coaching in 1990 with Kodak, IBM, Hewlett Packard, and other companies in Colorado.

He developed a training program for those specializing in human services and created the Institute for Life Coach Training (ILCT). The Institute trains professionals all over the world, with offices in Turkey, Italy, China, Korea, and the UK.

Pat has taught graduate coaching classes, acted as a curriculum consultant, and was honored as educator of the year by the New England Educational Institute in 2008. Pat is a founding member of Harvard University’s Institute of Coaching and is an honorary VP of the Association of Coaching Psychology. He has served as president for the Association of Coach Training Organizations (ACTO) and co-chaired the International Coach Federation (ICF) regulatory committee.

Pat developed Coaching the Global Village to introduce coaching methodologies to developing countries and to leaders of the nongovernmental organizations and nonprofits who serve in those countries. For this initiative, Pat was awarded the first Global Visionary Fellowship by the Foundation of Coaching in May of 2006. Pat is passionate about coaching and is very dedicated to see that it remains a well-respected profession. For more information on his work, please visit the Institute for Life Coach Training. Pat has co-authored the following books:

  • Therapist as Life Coach: Transforming Your Practice (2nd Edition 2007)
  • Becoming a Professional Life Coach: Lessons from the Institute for Life Coach Training (2007)
  • The Law and Ethics in Coaching: How to Solve and Avoid Difficult Problems in Your Practice (2006)
  • Total Life Coaching: 50+ Life Lessons, Skills, and Techniques to Enhance your Practice and Your Life (2005)

Continuing Education Provider Approvals

  • aceGoodTherapy.org is Approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • Logo This course has been approved by GoodTherapy.org, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #135463. GoodTherapy.org is responsible for all aspects of their programming.
  • GoodTherapy.org, LLC 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-0395.
  • GoodTherapy.org, LLC 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-0022 and for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0031.

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