Ethical Issues and Countertransference in Couples Therapy

Credit

Faculty

Kirsten Lind Seal, PhD, LMFT Related seminars and products

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Kirsten Lind Seal, PhD, LMFT, is adjunct associate professor of MFT Ethics at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, and ethics faculty in the doctoral program at Chaminade University in Honolulu. She presents regularly on ethical issues while maintaining a virtual private practice. She’s a long-time regular contributor to Relationship Reboot, a relationship segment on WCCO (CBS) TV’s Midmorning Show in the Twin Cities.
 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Kirsten Lind Seal maintains a private practice and has employment relationships with Chaminade University of Honolulu and Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. She receives a speaking honorarium from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Kirsten Lind Seal is a member of the Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, a contributor/creator of segments on Mid-morning WCCO TV and a member of The New England Association For Family And Systemic Therapy.

Additional Info

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Objectives

After this training hour, participants will be able to:

1. Explain why defining the client as the couple system is crucial for ethical practice when working with couples.
2. Apply relevant foundational ethical principles and relevant ethical codes to the practice of couple’s therapy.
3. Differentiate between common countertransference reactions in couples therapy versus warning signs to pay attention to.

Outline

Determine who the client is

• The client is the relationship
• How a systemic focus changes things
• Foundational ethical principles
• Ethical codes guidance (AAMFT; APA; NASW; ACA)

Countertransference with particular issues

• Understanding the power dynamic 
  • Siding with one versus the other
  • When to truth tell and when to hold off
• Issue of staying or leaving
  • We don’t get a vote on this
  • Informed consent
• Dealing with sexual issues
  • When to refer to a sex therapist
  • Is it attachment that is getting in the way?
• Secrets policy
  • To keep or not to keep?
  • Informed consent
• Affairs/betrayals
  • Repair of rupture within the relationship
  • Issues of apology and forgiveness
  • To stay or go?
  • Supporting people with “conscious uncoupling”

Any contraindications on doing couple’s counseling with any particular couple

• Substance abuse
• Intimate Partner Violence
  • Common violence
  • Terroristic threats

Terminating couple’s therapy

Limitations of the research/risks 

Target Audience

• Psychologists
• Physicians
• Addiction Counselors
• Counselors
• Social Workers
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Psychotherapists
• Other Behavioral Health Professionals

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