Ethics and Boundaries in Psychotherapy

Michael Wiederman, PhD; Leo Christie, PhD

$39.00

CE Credit Hours : 3
Intermediate Learning Level Learning Level : Intermediate
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Course Abstract

Ethics and Boundaries in Psychotherapy is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course intended to give psychotherapists the tools they need to resolve ethical and boundary issues and dilemmas that may be encountered in their everyday professional practice.

The psychotherapeutic process itself is all about boundaries – boundaries that join therapist and client, and boundaries that separate them; boundaries that define what is to be part of therapy and what is not; boundaries that the client may have compromised and must reinstate. It is this latter point that makes the issue of boundaries in psychotherapy one of the fundamental agendas for any therapeutic process: the fact that many clients find themselves in adverse situations they themselves have created by failing to establish effective boundaries. The ethics component is the therapist’s roadmap for providing assurance that therapeutic boundaries will be established and maintained throughout the client’s therapy experience.

Topics discussed include common ethics violations, boundary violations versus crossings, multiple/dual relationships, sexual boundary violations, erotic transference, disclosure, domains of boundary guidelines, confidentiality, privileged communication, HIPAA privacy rule, informed consent, ethics codes that apply to dangerous clients, ethics and cultural humility, ethics and boundaries in a digital age (including texting, Googling, telehealth, and AI), and steps in the ethical decision-making process.

This course will attempt to give psychotherapists the tools needed to resolve the common ethical and boundary issues and dilemmas that they may expect to encounter in their everyday professional practice. Its overall purpose is to provide the opportunity to step back and examine one’s own principles and practices within the context of boundary issues that are included in the ethical codes of five of the major professional associations of psychotherapists in the United States.

  • This course satisfies the ethics and boundaries requirement for license renewal of Florida counselors, social workers, and MFTs.
  • It also includes teachings from the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics to meet the ethics requirement of West Virginia counselors.

Course #31-61 | 2026 | 20 posttest questions

Learning Objectives

  1. Distinguish between multiple relationships, boundary crossings, boundary violations, and role blending
  2. Explain how transference and countertransference can result in sexual misconduct
  3. List four domains of boundary guidelines and five ethical dilemmas in clinical practice
  4. Describe the process and requirements for confidentiality and informed consent in psychotherapy
  5. Identify three risks to therapeutic boundaries generating from telehealth, social media, and AI
  6. Define the goals in a comprehensive decision-making process

Course Directions

This course is text-based (reading), and the CE test is open-book (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course materials). Successful completion of this course involves passing an online test (80% required, three chances to take) and we ask that you also complete a brief course evaluation. Contact us with any questions – we are here to help!

About the Author(s)

Michael Wiederman, PhD : Find out More

Michael Wiederman, PhD, is a psychologist and serves as the Director of Continuing Education (CE) for Professional Development Resources. He was a tenured clinical psychology professor for 20 years, teaching a wide range of courses and publishing more than 250 articles, chapters, and books. Over the past 30 years Michael delivered more than 4,000 class sessions and presentations.

In 2015, Michael left his tenured faculty position to provide professional development as the inaugural Director of Faculty Development at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville. There he created and executed workshops and longitudinal leadership development programs, provided individual coaching and interventions for teams, and taught the popular course Leadership in Medicine. From 2020 to 2022 Michael served as the inaugural Director of Leadership and Professional Development in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where he continues to hold a graduate faculty appointment.

Michael has written a blog for Psychology Today since 2022 and continues to offer workshops and coaching through his company Mindful Professional Development.

Disclosure

Financial: Receives author compensation from Professional Development Resources, Inc.
Nonfinancial: No relevant nonfinancial relationships exist.

Leo Christie, PhD : Find out More

Leo Christie, PhD, was a Florida-licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy from Florida State University. Past President of the Florida Council on Family Relations, Dr. Christie has more than 20 years’ experience in private practice with a specialty in child behavior disorders and as an instructor for over 500 live continuing education seminars for healthcare professionals. He is the founder of Professional Development Resources; a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to deliver continuing education credit courses to healthcare professionals throughout the United States.

Disclosure

Financial: Receives author compensation from Professional Development Resources, Inc.
Nonfinancial
: No relevant nonfinancial relationships exist.

CE Information

Counseling

National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Approved Continuing Education Provider

Professional Development Resources (PDR) has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5590. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. PDR is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners; the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling; the Georgia Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and MFTs; the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board for Professional Counselors; the Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors; the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135 - Note: New York counselors will receive 3 continuing education credits for completing this self-study course); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Family Therapist Board; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists (#193); the Tennessee Board for Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marital and Family Therapists, and Licensed Clinical Pastoral Therapists; the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors; the West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling; and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – completions are reported within 24 hours).

Marriage and Family Therapy

American Psychological Association Approved Sponsor

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046, ACE Program); the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners; the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling; the Georgia Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and MFTs; the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board for Marriage & Family Therapy; the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice; 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-0100 - Note: New York MFTs will receive 3 continuing education credit(s) for completing this self-study course); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Family Therapist Board; the South Carolina Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, Addiction Counselors, and Psycho-Educational Specialists (#193); the Tennessee Board for Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marital and Family Therapists, and Licensed Clinical Pastoral Therapists; the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#114); and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – completions are reported within 24 hours).

Psychology

American Psychological Association Approved Sponsor

Professional Development Resources, Inc. is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners; the Florida Board of Psychology; the Georgia State Board of Examiners of Psychologists; the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board for Psychology; the Michigan Board of Psychology; the New Hampshire Board of Psychologists; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of self-study continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145); the North Carolina Psychology Board; the North Dakota State Board of Psychologist Examiners; the South Carolina Board of Examiners in Psychology; the Tennessee Board of Examiners of Psychology; the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists; the Wyoming Board of Psychology; and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – completions are reported within 24 hours).

School Psychology

American Psychological Association Approved Sponsor

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners; the Florida Board of Psychology and Office of School Psychology; the Georgia State Board of Examiners of Psychologists; the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board for Psychology; the Michigan Board of Psychology; the New Hampshire Board of Psychologists; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of self-study continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145); the North Carolina Psychology Board; the North Dakota State Board of Psychologist Examiners; the South Carolina Board of Examiners in Psychology; the Tennessee Board of Examiners of Psychology; the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists; the Wyoming Board of Psychology; and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – completions are reported within 24 hours).

Social Work

Association of Social Work Boards ACE Approved continuing education provider

Professional Development Resources, #1046, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 6/12/2025 - 6/12/2028. Social workers completing this course receive 3 ethics continuing education credits. ACE format: Reading-based asynchronous distance learning.

Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners; the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling; the Georgia Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and MFTs; the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board for Social Workers; the Michigan Board of Social Work; the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice; the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0664 - Note: New York social workers will receive 3 continuing education credit(s) for completing this self-study course); the North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners; the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Family Therapist Board; the South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners; the Tennessee Board of Social Workers; the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); the West Virginia Board of Social Work; and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – completions are reported within 24 hours).

Customer Testimonials

R.N. (PY)

A nice, straightforward approach to the most salient ethical issues.

S.A. (PY)

I typically find these ethics courses to be quite dry and boring. This specific course completely captured my full attention throughout the entirety of the material. Extremely interesting and informative.

J.B. (MHC)

I found the material spot on, relevant, and well laid out and communicated.

S.S. (PY)

Well written and you make the material readable and much easier to digest and understand. Your writing style is always the reason I seek your expertise!

C.A. (MHC)

Honestly, this was the best Ethics/Boundaries CE course I've ever taken (and I've been in practice 25+ years) ... very well done. I would highly recommend this course to any therapist. Thank you!

More Testimonials

A.F. (PY)

Excellent presentation. I am an M.D. - psychiatry - taking this. I wish material was more readily available for physicians.

C.F. (PY)

This was the most thorough and helpful course I ever studied. It had current research that was interesting and relevant. It covered a lot of material and highlighted the most challenging ethical issues. It was easily readable and the pictures along with the text allowed for a visual representation of the contexts discussed. I appreciated it.

P.F. (MFT)

Thank you for a clear and concise course!

D.V. (MHC)

Overall, an excellent and useful course.

L.B. (PY)

Learned a lot. Well put together. If the other courses I signed up for are similar, I will have found a great CE course resource.

J.S. (MHC)

Great Training! I will access PDR in the future for more professional development and CEU training.

J.L. (MHC)

As a trainer on the topic myself, I say to you: Well done!

D.Y. (SW)

Great course with relevant ethical dilemma examples!

L.Z. (SW)

This is a very relevant course, particularly its information about ethical issues involved in the digital age. This area is current and dynamic and it is important for practitioners to stay up to date on developments in this area.

L.R. (MHC)

The discussion and examples of Ethics and Boundaries in Psychotherapy were helpful and relevant to counseling and the course material. Thank you! :)

C.S. (SW)

Very thorough and engaging I will keep the text for future reference. Thank you.

R.R. (MHC)

The information was good as a refresher and offered some developments in the field to consider (telehealth).

J.H. (MHC)

It was well organized and prepared. I found it helpful and a challenge.

K.W. (MHC)

I love this way of learning. I'm actually able to retain the information better and use it for future situations.

E.S. (PY)

I felt the program was well organized, clear, comprehensive, and both most informative and relative to the current times.

A.S. (MHC)

Very clear, concise course on ethics and a wide variety of boundary issues to consider. Very helpful.

E.K.S. (SS)

This course was comprised of both past and new tenets of ethics and boundaries in my profession. The information was highly worthwhile and presented clearly. I recommend this course.

R.L. (MHC)

This course was very content rich and I am glad I took it. I will keep the information for use in the future. Thanks.

M.K. (PY)

Great course! Clear and well written. Thank you.

K.B. (MHC)

This is an excellent course with way more helpful information that I was expecting.  Information was presented clearly and the course content was easy to follow.

C.K. (MHC)

Interesting and beneficial approaches poised in the questions of Ethics and Boundaries. Thank You.

C.C. (MHC)

This is the kind of well-prepared, thoughtful course I've come to expect from you all. I especially appreciated the part on ethical standards and tele-therapy. Thanks!

B.H. (SW)

I am glad you included the social media aspect including texting. A good course and good refresher also.

B.W. (PY)

For what can be an avoided topic, the content was presented in both a clear & engaging manner.

S.B. (MHC)

This is a valuable and complex course that is well researched and presented.

S.F. (MHC)

Well designed content. Felt up to date and relevant.

K.H. (SW)

 I appreciated the social media discussion, which was very detailed and helpful!

H.K.B. (MHC)

Great class, highly informative with refreshingly new material.

J.F. (PY)

This is a valuable and practical course for psychologists in private practice.

D.F. (MHC)

PDR is my go-to resource for accurate and informational CEUs.

J.M. (MHC)

Great Course! This is the only place I'll go going forward for my CEUs. Very informative.

M.D. (PY)

This was a very relevant ethics course especially with the addition of the section on teletherapy which has become more relevant during the pandemic.

N.S. (PY)

Excellent course! Thorough, detailed, and relevant. Thank you.

A.C. (MHC)

This course was extremely up to date considering the rapid change we face in the technology era of mental health counseling. Very helpful and a great resource tool.

S.F. (PY)

Great course. Clear and well written. Thank you!

G.D. (MHC)

Clear & precise presentation.

M.J. (MHC)

Excellent refresher with some new areas of focus from previous related courses. Went well as adjunct to Medical Errors course.

G.C. (SW)

This was one of the better courses on Ethics and Boundaries that I have taken and I've taken many over the years. It was very relevant and had great examples.

L.S. (SW)

Having the references was particularly helpful and valuable.

V.S. (SW)

This course was super helpful and I am excited to encourage my supervisees to take the course also. Thanks!

E.Y. (SW)

The text is clear and well written - easy to absorb and organized. I would always prefer a video presentation.

M.H. (MHC)

Information was very relevant and explained in a manner that was easy to understand.

L.M. (PY)

I found the whole course very informative, but I was also interested in clarifying the difference between "boundary violation" vs. "boundary crossing."

M.B. (MHC)

I wish I had taken this CE module before I taught a workshop on boundaries!

C.B. (MHC)

This course was very thorough, and I appreciated the information on application of ethics in a digital age.

M.W. (MHC)

I appreciate how well organized and clear the information was.

L.E. (SW)

Well formulated content which was easy to digest. Thank you for offering this opportunity and an affordable cost.

K.F. (MHC)

The content of this self-paced module on ethics and boundaries is exceptionally thorough. It delves deep into the nuances of ethical principles and professional boundaries, providing comprehensive insights that will equip learners with a solid foundation for ethical decision-making and maintaining appropriate boundaries in various contexts. It leaves no stone unturned, ensuring that the reader has a well-rounded understanding of this critical subject matter.

A.M. (PY)

Thanks, Good information, reasonable price, testing was not overly time consuming or cumbersome. Thank you.