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Informed Consent With Couples and Families

June 4, 2010 by

Informed consent is a process, not a one-time event; and that process can become complicated with couples and families. We will review both ethical responsibilities and legal considerations to answer questions such as:

Who Must Be Informed? About What? When?
From Whom Must We Obtain Consent? For What? When?
At the initial session, what topics must we cover and whose consent must we obtain?
After the understandings, when must the conversation be reopened?

OUTLINE :

I. Ethical Standards Governing Informed Consent With Couples and Families

II. Practical Issues Related to Informed Consent

A. Obtaining Information (Informing the Therapist)

B. Providing Information (Informing the Clients)

C. Obtaining Consent

D. Documenting Informed Consent

E. Re-Opening the Conversation

III. Potential Pitfalls If Not Clarified in Initial Informed Consent Conversation

A. Confidentiality and Its Limits

B. Policies About Structure (e.g., Individual Sessions as Well as Couple/Family?)

C. Billing (Insurance, Managed Care, Diagnosis, “Identified Patient”

D. Potential Risks – Possible Positive and Negative Outcomes

E. Issues Re: Minors’ Rights in Family Therapy

IV. Anticipating Future Issues That Have Informed Consent Implications

A. What If Not All Parties Appear for a Session? (e.g., Meet Anyway vs. Cancel?)

B. What If One Party Wants to “Drop Out” of the Therapy?

C. What If the Marital/Couple Relationship Ends?

D. What If Couple or Family Therapy Becomes a Divorce/Custody Case?

Educational Goals:
1. List the Ethical Standards relevant to informed consent with couples and families.
2. Describe some of the pracical issues when planning for informed consent conversations.
3. List some of the potential pitfalls if informed consent conversations are not clear and complete

Filed Under: Workshop Archives

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continuing education for American Psychological Association The Center for Ethical Practice is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Center maintains responsibility for this program and its content.


continuing education for National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) The Center for Ethical Practice has been approved by National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 6768). The Center is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.


continuing education Association of Social Work BoardsThe Center for Ethical Practice (provider #1287), is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The Center for Ethical Practice maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 3/21/2021-3/21/2024.

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