Free CLEE Therapist Responsibilities Questions and Answers
A therapist begins treatment with a new client. During the first session, the therapist explains the therapeutic process, including the potential risks and benefits, and provides the client with paperwork outlining these details. The client signs the paperwork without asking any questions. What should the therapist do next?
Obtaining informed consent is not just about having the client sign a form. The therapist must ensure that the client fully understands the information provided. It's the therapist’s responsibility to engage the client in a discussion and clarify any questions the client might have.
A therapist is working with a high-profile client who is a public figure. A media outlet contacts the therapist, offering payment for information about the client’s treatment. What is the therapist's ethical and legal responsibility?
Client confidentiality is a core ethical responsibility for therapists. Regardless of the client’s public status, the therapist must maintain confidentiality and decline any requests for information without the client's consent, as required by law and ethical standards.
A therapist who is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) is approached by a client seeking treatment for a complex neurological disorder that is beyond the therapist's expertise. What is the therapist's responsibility in this situation?
Therapists have a responsibility to practice within the boundaries of their competence and scope of practice. In this case, the ethical response is to refer the client to a specialist who is better equipped to handle the treatment of the neurological disorder.
A therapist decides to terminate therapy with a client who has repeatedly violated the boundaries of the therapeutic relationship by showing up late and not complying with treatment plans. What is the therapist’s responsibility when terminating therapy?
Ethically, therapists must ensure that termination is handled responsibly, including providing referrals and facilitating a smooth transition to another therapist. The goal is to minimize harm to the client by ensuring continuity of care, even if the therapeutic relationship needs to end.
A therapist learns during a session that their client, a schoolteacher, has been physically abusing their own child. What is the therapist’s legal responsibility in this situation?
Therapists are mandated reporters in California and are legally required to report any knowledge or suspicion of child abuse to the appropriate authorities (such as CPS). Failing to report could result in legal consequences for the therapist.