Best Practices in Teletherapy
CEUs offered: 3 (Ethics)
Presented by: Charles J Potter PhD LPCC-S
Modality: Live, Interactive Session with Activities & Discussion
Attendance: This training is offered 100% Virtually using Zoom Healthcare
NOTE: This is a live, interactive, training presented through Zoom as an online Webinar. Zoom recommends having a broadband wired/wireless connection, speakers, and a microphone to effectively participate via this platform. (requirements listed on zoom’s website here: LINK).
Recording Date: NA
Cost: $60
Links to Access Material:
To access training: Links will be sent after registration, 2-3 days before training.
To complete training evaluation (to be submitted once training is completed): The link will be shared 2-3 days before the training, as well as during the training.
Program Summary:
Mental health providers (social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, etc.) who wish to use teletherapy are legally and ethically expected to have competence/training in the area. This training reviews legal and ethical guidelines that shape effective teletherapy, while also adding best practices for maximizing that effectiveness. Those laws and ethical guidelines will be reviewed, as will recommendations for the use of technology, setting up an adequate teletherapy space, gathering informed consent and maintaining effective documentation and communication practices. Lastly, strategies to incorporate self-care (and minimize burnout) while maximizing effectiveness will be emphasized.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will review current legal and ethical guidelines shaping teletherapy practice. Participants will discuss research into mental health concerns that can be addressed effectively via teletherapy.
Participants will review best practices for setting up a space for teletherapy.
Participants will discuss considerations for assessing whether a client is appropriate for teletherapy.
Participants will review recommendations for troubleshooting common issues in teletherapy.
Participants will discuss the added challenges of boundaries and multiple relationships as it re- lates to teletherapy.
Participants will discuss strategies for establishing, maintaining, and communicating teletherapy boundaries (including self-care).
Audience & Skill Level:
Introductory- this course is designed for mental health service providers (social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, etc.) who seek to use teletherapy to serve their clients. No prior coursework or experience in this area is necessary to benefit from the material.
Course Outline/Agenda:
12:00-12:30 Definitions & Discussing the Evolution of Teletherapy
12:30-1:00 Reviewing Ohio Laws & Rules governing Teletherapy
1:00-1:30 Reviewing ACA, NASW, and AAMFT codes of ethics as they apply to Teletherapy 1:30-2:30 Discussing Best Practices for the use of technology, preparing appropriate spaces, and appropriate methods for collecting informed consent, communication practices, etc.
2:30-3:00 Discussing Boundaries & Multiple Relationships as it relates to Teletherapy
3:00 – 3:15 Q&A and Evaluations
To Receive Course Credit Participants Must:
Attend and engage with the entire training.
Complete the post-training evaluation.
Certificates will be sent within seven business days of confirming attendance and receiving the evaluation.
Instructor Bio’s:
Charles J Potter PhD, LPCC-S is a professional counselor in the state of Ohio and one of Mindfully’s clinical directors. As such, Charles has received training in the areas of teletherapy and includes staying abreast of legal and ethical guidelines as part of his professional responsibilities. Prior to this, Charles taught online in Ohio State University’s Counselor Education program where he also trained new faculty and teaching associates how to maximize their effectiveness as distance-based educators.
Program Approvals:
Ohio CSWMFT Approval
This training is approved for counselor, social work, and marriage and family therapy continuing education. In addition, it is approved by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Board for chemical de- pendency continuing education. Check CE Broker for detailed breakdown of CE types (provider number 50-24074).
For questions, comments or concerns:
Please contact TrainingCenter@Mindfully.com or via telephone: 513-939-0300
- Grievance policy: If you are dissatisfied with your experience, please feel free to share this with us via email: TrainingCenter@mindfully.com or via telephone: 513-939-0300, or via your program evaluation. All complaints will receive a response within seven business days outlining actions taken and proposed responses which may include issuing a refund, credits for future trainings, updating course content or taking appropriate action with presenters, among others.
- Request for Accommodations: Should any accommodations enhance your pro- gram experience, please contact us via email: TrainingCenter@mindfully.com or via telephone: 513-939-0300, to explore what options you may have.
References:
American Counseling Association (ACA). (2014). Code of Ethics. https://www.counsel- ing.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf
Caldwell, B. E., Bischoff, R. J., Derrig-Palumbo, K. A., & Liebert, J. D. (2017). Best practices in the online practice of couple and family therapy. Report of the Online Therapy Workgroup.
Camper, A. B., & Felton, E. (2020). Telemental health. National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Legal/HIPAA-Help-For-Social- Workers/Telemental-Health
Inchausti, F., MacBeth, A., Hasson-Ohayon, I., & Dimaggio, G. (2020). Telepsychotherapy in the age of COVID-19: A commentary. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 30(2), 394-405, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/int0000222
Kim-VanderGriend, S. (n.d.). Catching our breath to evaluate telehealth best practices. The New Social Worker Magazine. https://www.socialworker.com/feature-arti- cles/practice/catching-our-breath-to-evaluate-telehealth-best-practices/
National Association for Social Workers (NASW). (2021). Code of Ethics. https://www.so- cialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English
National Association of Social Workers (NASW). (2017). NASW, ASWB, CSWE, & CSWA Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice. NASWB. https://www.social- workers.org/includes/newincludes/homepage/PRA-BRO-33617.TechStand- ards_FINAL_POSTING.pdf
SAMHSA. (2015). Using technology-based therapeutic tools in behavioral health ser- vices. Retrieved from: https://store.samhsa.gov/product/TIP-60-Using-Technol- ogy-Based-Therapeutic-Tools-in-Behavioral-Health-Services/SMA15-4924
SAMHSA (2021). Telehealth for the treatment of serious mental illness and substance use disorders. Retrieved from: https://store.samhsa.gov/product/telehealth-for- treatment-serious-mental-illness-substance-use-disorders/PEP21-06-02-001
Shortsleeve, C. (2019, February 2). How to actually have a successful teletherapy ap- pointment. Self.Com. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Eth- ics/Code-of-Ethics-English
Turgoose, D., Ashwick, R., and Murhpy, D. (2017). Systematic review of lessons learned from delivring tele-therapy to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Wilser, J. (2020, July 9). Teletherapy, popular in the pandemic, may outlast it. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/09/well/mind/teletherapy-mental- health-coronavirus.htm