Ethics Courses for Mental Health Professionals

We provide continuing education (CE) courses at an “intermediate” level, appropriate for mental health service providers of all professions and at all levels of experience, including clinical students, as well as beginning, intermediate, and advanced clinicians.

Our nationally accredited courses are developed by Mary Alice Fisher, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, Director of the Center for Ethical Practices, sometimes with co-authorship, where noted. Each course relevant for mental health care providers of all professions, including psychologists, social workers, counselors, and marriage and family therapists.

Center for Ethical Practice Online Course Fees – $25 per Credit Hour

Current Online Course Offerings:

Click for course description, educational objectives, course outlines, registration & payment.

• Updated! Course #1: Ethics Training in Mental Health Settings: What Do Non-Clinical Staff Need to Know?  – 3 CE Credit Hours – (22 test items)
• Course #2: Are Psychotherapists Really “Informants”? The Ethical Implications of Disclosing Confidential Information – 2 CE Credit Hours – (14 test items)
• Updated! Course #3: Why “Who is the Client?” Can Be the Wrong Ethical Question – 4 CE Credit Hours – (25 test items)
• Updated! Course #4: Beginnings and Endings in Therapy: Avoiding Some of the Ethical Pitfalls – 4 CE Credit Hours – (25 test items)
• Course #5: Ethical Consequences of Role Confusion in Court-Related Cases – 4 CE Credit Hours – (25 test items)
• Course #6: Peer Consultation: Paying Attention to the Ethical Issues – 3 CE Credit Hours – (22 Test Items)
• NEW! Course #7: Informed Consent to Psychotherapy: Ethical Issues & Potential Pitfalls – 4 CE Credit Hours – (25 test items)

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“Informative and helpful.” – Clinical Social Worker
“Excellent Course.  Should be required of all therapists.”  – Clinical Psychologist
“Great information!” – Licensed Professional Counselor

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NOTE: These online courses are offered at an “intermediate” level, appropriate for mental health service providers of all professions and at all levels of experience, including clinical students as well as beginning, intermediate, and advanced clinicians.  All sales are final.  Online courses requirements include successfully completing the test (and course evaluation form). For participants scoring at least 80% on the test, a CE Certificate can be immediately printed online. If you have questions or if you need disability accommodations, please contact the Center office by phone at 434-971-1841 or by email at Office@CenterForEthicalPractice.org.  Grievance procedures for online courses are the same as the workshop grievance procedures.  See our home page and above for list of sponsor approvals for CE credits for our online courses; those outside Virginia should confirm that our CE credits will be eligible for license renewal in their own jurisdictions.

Authors’ Note: These courses cite ethical standards and professional recommendations available at the time each course was placed on line. Readers are encouraged to check the website of their national professional organization for updates. These courses are not a substitute for wider knowledge about one’s own ethical standards and laws.  When facing dilemmas in clinical practice, we advise ethical and legal consultation. Many aspects of the case vignettes are based on actual case situations, but changes have been made in order not to disclose the identities of either patients or therapists.  Throughout the courses, the terms “client” and “patient” are used interchangeably, as well as the terms “psychotherapist,” “therapist,” and “counselor.” Most recommendations cited in these courses would apply across all professions and all types of clinical therapeutic interventions; where there are exceptions, this is noted.