Secrets and Lies: The Ethics of Truth in Therapy
Clients lie to their therapists with surprising frequency. In one study, more than 90% of clients acknowledged lying to their therapists, with more than 70% lying about topics directly related to the therapy. Their reasons for lying, and the specific things they lied about, may surprise you.
Meanwhile, therapists typically are not fully honest and transparent with their clients. And there's a strong ethical argument that we shouldn't be. Clients typically do not benefit from knowing the first moment we suspect they may have a personality disorder or other serious pathology. We typically don't want clients to know about any countertransference reactions we may have to them. And many therapists will lie to clients when we believe it necessary to protect their safety or the safety of others. If we accept all of these as not just true but in the interest of good client care, a conversation can open about *when* to be honest and transparent with clients, when to simply stay silent, and when it may be beneficial to lie.
In this advanced workshop, we'll have that conversation. We review forms of truth, ethical standards related to truth in therapy, policies that therapists adopt around secrets in couple and family work, repairing after a lie, and a number of case examples that cut directly to the limits of our desire and intention to be honest with clients.
2 hours CE. Recorded video format (non-interactive)
Course Overview
ESTIMATED COURSE LENGTH: 2 hours
CE CREDITS: 2.00 continuing education/contact hours for social workers, psychologists, counselors, and marriage and family therapists
TARGET AUDIENCE: Mental Health Practitioners
LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION: Advanced
PREREQUISITE(S): None
INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD: Recorded video format (non-interactive)
ACCESSIBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS: Closed captioning of audio components. In order to request further accessibility accommodations, please email support@psychhub.com.
COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS: To obtain your CE certificate, learners must complete a pre-test (not scored), progress through all course segments, complete a participant evaluation, and obtain a score of 80% or higher on a post-test. Learners are expected to complete the quiz within 3 attempts. If unable to do so, the learner will need to re-review the course segments.
FINANCIAL/COMMERCIAL SUPPORT STATEMENT: This course has no commercial support.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST: This course has no potential conflict of interest or outside commercial support. Psych Hub's conflict of interest statement is found in the footer of the training center.
GRIEVANCE AND REFUND POLICIES: Grievance and refund policies are found in the footer of the training center.
PARTICIPATION COSTS: The cost to participate in this CE activity is included in the subscription registration fee.
COURSE CREATION DATE: 2/26/2019
Learning Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Articulate their own moral stance on when lying to clients may be necessary or appropriate
- Weigh the value they place on honesty against the value they place on other general ethical principles
- Defend their chosen policy on holding individual secrets in couple or family therapy
Course Outline
Course outline
- Introduction
- Clients lying to therapists
- Ethical principles and standards
- Therapists lying to clients
- Secrets in couple, family, and group work
- Repairing after a lie
CE Information
American Psychological Association (APA)
Psych Hub is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Psych Hub maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Psychologists completing this course receive 2.00 continuing education credits.National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
Psych Hub has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7051. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Psych Hub is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Counselors completing this course receive 2.00 continuing education hours.Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
Psych Hub, #1750, 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: 08/20/2024 – 08/20/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 2.00 clinical continuing education credits.California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
Psych Hub is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Psych Hub maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. CAMFT Approval #1000074. Course meets the qualifications for 2.00 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.New York State Education Department - Licensed Mental Health Counselors (NYSED-LMHC)
Psych Hub, 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 mental health counselors. #MHC-0257. New York State licensed mental health counselors completing this course receive 2.00 contact hours.New York State Education Department - Marriage & Family Therapists (NYSED-MFT)
Psych Hub, 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-0109. New York State marriage and family therapists completing this course receive 2.00 contact hours.New York State Education Department - Psychology (NYSED-PSY)
Psych Hub, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0208. New York State licensed psychologists completing this course receive 2.00 contact hours.New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work (NYSED-SW)
Psych Hub, 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-0699. New York State social workers completing this course receive 2.00 contact hours.Experts
