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A Therapist's Oath - 2023
Law and Ethics in Clinical
Practice |
2020-2022 have been hard years. We are facing a pandemic, social unrest, violence against people of color, and an armed insurrection in the Capitol building. Many therapists are feeling stressed, having to switch to online therapy, perhaps while home-schooling their children. We may be feeling burnt-out, depressed, overwhelmed.
Many of us have lost family members, colleagues, friends. These are hard times. For most of the past two years, we couldn't socialize, do any hugging outside of our "social pods" (unless you live alone, and then you may be experiencing "skin hunger.") Restaurants were closed, you couldn't go to the gym, or get your hair cut. And you still have to pay your bills, complete your CEs, and maintain the legal and ethical obligations of the profession.
Uncertainty reigns. Some parts of the world are reopening borders, others not. Wearing a mask or not can vary town to town, county to county. No one knows what is next, yet we as therapists often have to treat anxiety and depression when we ourselves are anxious and depressed. The only certainty is uncertainty. And this is why, perhaps more than ever, we must focus on self-care, and having a strong moral center. If nothing else, we must live our own best lives, so that we can treat others.
As a licensed therapist, I took no oath when I received my license to practice. Professional mental health therapists swear nothing. Doctors have the Hippocratic oath, which, contrary to popular belief, does not start with, or even include the phrase, “First, do no harm." It does include the promise to “keep them from harm and injustice.” Emergency medical technicians, physical therapists, and veterinarians are among those in the healing professions who take an oath.
A Therapist's Oath I solemnly swear that 1.
I will, first, do no harm...I
will strive to be wise, compassionate and
contained with those in my care. 6. I will be respectful. 7. I will know my abilities, my limits and myself. 8. I will ask for help when I need it, and acknowledge when I don't know something. 9. I will give back, and strive to make my presence be a healing one in the world. 10. I will take care of myself, so that I can take care of others. |
How can it be, that we who are dedicated to the healing of trauma, can participate in torture? The American Psychiatric Association and the American Medical Association have declared that participation in interrogations violates basic international human rights and the ethical imperative to do no harm. The American Anthropological Association condemns the use of anthropological knowledge as an element of physical or psychological torture.
The American Psychological Association's (APA) position on torture is clear and unequivocal: Any direct or indirect participation in any act of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by psychologists is strictly prohibited. There are no exceptions. Such acts as waterboarding, sexual humiliation, stress positions and exploitation of phobias are clear violations of APA's no torture/no abuse policy.
APA's timeline of its response to torture is available here.
Psychologists were allowed to participate in military interrogations. Quoting from the American Psychological Association website:
Based on years of careful and thorough analysis, APA has affirmed that psychology has a vital role to play in promoting the use of ethical interrogations to safeguard the welfare of detainees and facilitate communications with them. By staying engaged, APA is able to work with the many parties, both within and outside of the military, who are dedicated to preventing torture and other forms of cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. (Source: “Frequently asked questions regarding APA’s policies and positions on the use of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment during interrogations” (2007, November 15). In APA online Retrieved 21:02, November 15, 2007, from http://www.apa.org/releases/faqinterrogation.html)
In writing this course, I began to wonder why there are so few oaths which define our responsibilities as therapists. I compiled the oaths I found; please click here her to open a new window and see them.
Please click here for Oaths by Professional Associations
Please click here for Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Are there other oaths out there? If so, please let me know, so that I can include them.
Good Ethics equal Good Therapy.
When we, as clinicians, have good boundaries, our patients feel safer to explore the depths of their pain.
When we, as clinicians, respect and honor confidentiality, our patients feel safer to explore their problems.
When we, as clinicians, report child abuse and elder abuse, our patients feel safer, and society is safer.
When we, as clinicians, follow the scope of our practice, our patients feel more confident.
When we, as clinicians, practice informed consent, our patients know what to expect.This course is designed to help therapists identify the components and importance of good ethical behavior in clinical practice.
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Learning Objectives In this 6 unit course clinicians will: 1. be able to identify
components of ethical professional conduct. |
maintains responsibility for the program. |
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Cost of the course is $99
AUTHORS' DISCLAIMER
The material contained in this course is not a substitute for legal, ethical or clinical advice or consultation. This is NOT a legal document. This material is solely for the purpose of continuing education; it is not a substitute for personal or clinical consultation, or legal advice.Laws, standards , guidelines, and regulations often change. Students should stay in touch with their professional associations, state licensing boards and other state or federal agencies for the most current legislation, guidelines and information.
All material included in this course is either in the public domain, or used with express permission.
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All material included in this course is either in the public domain, or used with express permission. |
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Ethical Principles of Psychologists. Our courses
are carefully screened by our Planning Committee to adhere to
APA standards. We also require authors who compose Internet courses
specifically for us to follow APA ethical standards. |
CA BBS - California Board of Behavioral Science accepts our CE Provider Approvals through APA, NASW, and NBCC. Course meets the qualifications for hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Science
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Katie Amatruda, PsyD, MFT, CST-T, BCETS, is a Licensed Marriage
and Family Therapist, a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress,
and a teaching member of the International Society for Sandplay
Therapy. She is a member of DMAT CA-6, a Disaster Service Mental
Health volunteer with the Red Cross, and has responded to the Katrina
disaster, as well as to local fires and floods with the Disaster
Action Team. She is the Mental Health Lead for the Marin County
Red Cross Disaster Services. She went to Sri Lanka with the Association
for Play Therapy and OperationUSA. She has lectured internationally
and teaches in the Extended Education departments at U.C. Berkeley
and Sonoma State University. She is the author of A Field Guide
to Disaster Mental Health: Providing Psychological First Aid, HIV:
The Storm, Psyche & Soma, Trauma, Terror and
Treatment, and Painted Ponies: Bipolar Disorder in Children,
Adolescents and Adults. Her work with children with cancer
is featured in the video Sandplay Therapy and the Liminal World.
She is the co-author of Sandplay, The Sacred Healing: A Guide
to Symbolic Process and Reweaving the Web: The Treatment
of Substance Abuse. She practices in Northern California.
