Myths and Faulty Beliefs about the Standard of Care in Psychotherapy and Counseling

Presented by Ofer Zur, PhD on 08-13-2021 at 9 a.m. Pacific (noon Eastern) to 10 a.m. Pacific (1 p.m. Eastern)

In this one-hour continuing education webinar (1 CE credit hour), Dr. Ofer Zur will review and critique the major myths and faulty beliefs about the standard of care and ethics of psychotherapy, counseling, and mental health services.

Some of the myths that Dr. Zur will discuss include:

  • Once a client, always a client: Therapists' overwhelming power over clients in perpetuity
  • All dual relationships are unethical and lead to exploitation
  • Boundary crossings, inevitably, lead to boundary violations
  • Non-sexual touch is always the first step towards sexual touch
  • Don’t (never) blame the victim - All victims are always 100% innocent
  • The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) is a scientifically valid, and reliable document.

The course will differentiate risk management principles from truly and valid standard of care principles. For the live webinar, participants will be able to raise questions throughout and at the conclusion of the course.

This introductory continuing education web conference is designed to:

  1. Differentiate between risk management principles and the standard of care.
  2. Identify the complexities involved in therapist-client power relationships.
  3. Clarify the ethical concerns with dual or multiple relationships.
  4. Describe some of the concerns with victims’ responsibility.
  5. Explain key points in the debate on whether the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) is a scientifically based document or not.

Statement of program material’s accuracy, utility, and risks: The presenter indicates the information is accurate.

Declaration of conflicts of interest and commercial support: The presenter has no financial relationship to this program and there is no conflict of interest regarding the presented material. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speaker and do not necessarily represent the views, policies, and positions of GoodTherapy.

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

Continuing Education (CE) Information

One (1) CE contact hour will be provided by GoodTherapy for attending this web conference in its entirety. 

GoodTherapy is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements.

GoodTherapy.org, provider #1352, 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. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 3/30/2022 – 3/30/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 1 ethics continuing education credit.

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

GoodTherapy, 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, 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.

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 access the homestudy recording for $14.95. 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

Ofer Zur, PhD

Ofer Zur, PhD

Ofer Zur, PhD, lives in Sebastapol, CA and founded the Zur Institute 25 years ago. He is a licensed psychologist, instructor, and forensic and ethics consultant and expert.

Dr. Zur has authored or co-authored five books and over 50 published articles on ethics and related topics. His writing and teaching in the U.S. and abroad focus on ethics, critical thinking, boundaries, dual relationships, managed-care-free private practices, the psychology of victims, the psychology of war, and the psychology of gender. 

In June 2021, Dr. Zur received authorization from the Minnesota Supreme Court to prepare an amicus brief regarding the standard of care for psychotherapy and counseling.

You can learn more about Dr. Zur at drzur.com.

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 GoodTherapy.org has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6380. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. GoodTherapy.org is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
  • aceGoodTherapy.org, provider #1352, 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. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 03/30/2019 - 03/30/2022.
  • 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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