Mental Health Professionals and the Law
Navigating Ethical and Risk Management Challenges
- Speakers:
- Michael Kahn, LPC, JD | Chris Osborn, JD
- Duration:
- Full Day
- Language:
- Presented in EN, subtitles in EN and FR, handouts in EN and FR
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Product Code:
- LWC150063
- Brochure Code:
- PWZ95309
- Media Type:
- Live Webinar
Description
Even with the best intentions it’s possible to unwittingly behave unethically …
And in today’s ever-evolving landscape of increased litigation – along with the complexities of digital practice, online communities, and social media – it’s easy for ethical pitfalls and missteps within the legal system to threaten the practice you’ve poured your heart and soul into building. And you may not even see it coming.
For many, the thought of facing legal challenges or interacting with lawyers can feel overwhelming or intimidating.
That’s why we created this training with ethics and legal experts Michael Kahn LPC, JD and Chris Osborn, JD who’ve shown countless therapists how to effectively navigate the legal system and ethical issues that could cost you everything. You’ll gain more than just an overview of the legal system. They’ll give you an inside look at what lawyers are trying to accomplish when interacting with therapists as potential fact or expert witnesses.
By the end of the program, you’ll feel more confident navigating the legal system and, yes, even comfortable working with lawyers.
You’ll also leave ready to:
- Handle subpoenas like a pro - know exactly what to do if one lands on your desk
- Stay on the right side of ethical dilemmas - learn how to spot the difference between a boundary crossing and a violation
- Identify ethical blind spots with ease - use strategies to go beyond a mere commitment to behave ethically
- Protect your practice and your peace of mind - stay ahead of legal and ethical risks
- And so much more
SO REGISTER TODAY to get the tools you need to protect your clients and your practice!
Credit
Program Information
Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationshipsAll members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners. For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.
NOTE: Each purchase includes CE credit for one individual (participants in full attendance will be able to print the certificate of completion after passing the online post-test (80% passing score) and completing the evaluation). Instructional methods will include PowerPoint, didactic lecture, Q&A, and others.
Continuing Education Information: Credits listed below are for full attendance at the live, interactive webinar only. This webinar is being broadcast live in real-time and must be attended live, in its entirety, in order to earn credit. You will be able to type questions to the speaker. The speaker will see the questions and address them during the presentation as time allows. Please note, your licensing board dictates whether web-based activities are an acceptable form of continuing education, as well as which credit types are acceptable for continuing education hours. Please refer to your licensing board's rules and regulations. If your profession is not listed, please contact your licensing board to determine your continuing education requirements and check for reciprocal approval. For other credit inquiries not specified below, please contact info@pesi.com or 800-844-8260 before the event.
Materials that are included in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of your profession. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your profession's standards.
For Planning Committee disclosures, please see the statement above. For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.
Earn up to 6.25 CE hours. Please see below, for more details, as credit amounts vary by jurisdiction and profession.
PESI, Inc. is approved by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association to offer continuing education for counsellors and psychotherapists. PESI, Inc. maintains responsibility for the program. This activity is approved for 6.0 credit hours.
PESI, Inc., #1062, 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: January 27, 2026 - January 27, 2029. Social workers completing this course receive 6.25 continuing education credits.
Course Level: Format: . Full attendance is required; no partial credits will be offered for partial attendance.
Canadian Social Workers: Canadian provinces may accept activities offered by providers approved by the ASWB ACE program for ongoing professional development.
This activity qualifies for 380 continuing education minutes as required by many national and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Save your activity advertisement and certificate of completion, and contact your own board or organization for specific requirements.
Handouts
| File type | File name | Number of pages | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual - Mental Health Professionals and the Law (4.4 MB) | 82 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - Mental Health Professionals and the Law - French (4.4 MB) | 82 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - Mental Health Professionals and the Law - Italian (4.4 MB) | 82 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - Mental Health Professionals and the Law - German (4.4 MB) | 82 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - Mental Health Professionals and the Law - Spanish (4.4 MB) | 82 Pages | Available after Purchase |
Speaker
Michael Kahn, LPC, JD Related seminars and products
Michael Kahn, JD, LPC, holds a JD from the Dickinson School of Law, and practiced law with the Attorney General’s Office for the State of New Jersey. As a Deputy Attorney General, he represented the Department of Corrections and later the Department of Environmental Protection. Although he left the practice of law in 1991, his work thereafter has kept him involved in the lives of lawyers in various capacities.
Following a stint as assistant director of career services with the Tulane University School of Law, Micheal obtained his MEd in counseling from UNC-Greensboro in 1994, and shortly thereafter became a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of North Carolina. Michael’s areas of focus in his psychotherapy practice have included anxiety, depression, grief/loss, and men’s issues, and he has worked with adolescents and adults in individual and group therapy settings.
In 2012, he relocated to Oregon, where in addition to continuing his speaking career, he served as facilitated bereavement groups for lawyers. Michael currently resides in Vancouver, BC, where he serves part-time on the counseling staff of the Lawyers Assistance Program of British Columbia. He continues to present training seminars and workshops on ethics, grief, wellness, DEIB, and other topics for lawyers and mental health professionals throughout the US and Canada, including for the US military.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Michael Kahn is the co-founder of ReelTime Creative Learning Experiences and has employment relationships with Lumara Grief and Bereavement Care Society and Lawyers Assistance Program of BC. He receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Michael Kahn has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Additional Info
Program Information
Access Period for Live WebcastFor live CE credit, you must watch the live webcast in its entirety at its scheduled time and complete the CE quiz and evaluation within one week. You will have access for 90 days after the program for review.
Webcast Schedule
Please note: There will be a 70-minute lunch and two 15-minute breaks; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Lunch and break times will be announced by the speaker and at their discretion. A more detailed schedule is available upon request.
Questions?
Visit our FAQ page at https://www.pesicanada.ca/faq or contact us at https://www.pesicanada.ca/contact-us.
Objectives
- Determine how to wisely prepare for testifying in court or at a deposition, and being cross-examined by a lawyer.
- Identify strategies to implement when you get subpoenaed to testify.
- Utilize stress management and self-care interventions when interacting with lawyers and the legal system.
- Determine ethical blind spots and employ strategies to improve your ethical decision-making.
- Distinguish between boundary crossings and boundary violations.
- Identify emerging boundary challenges in the digital age.
Outline
Mental Health Professionals and the Legal System: Clinical Experiences with the Courts and Litigation- Prepare for depositions
- Court testimony
- Common points of confusion for therapists
- Motivations, objectives, and how they differ from those of a clinician
- Winner take all or zero-sum process
- Differences between fact and expert witnesses
- Expert designations and written reports
- Subpoenas for records, deposition, and trial testimony
- Depositions vs. trial testimony: Key differences and how to prepare
- Why lawyers question experts: Learn their goals and how to prepare effectively
- Handling cross-examination: Tips to stay calm and credible under pressure
- Subpoena survival: Master a simple but effective response process
- Stress-proofing Your experience: Use mindfulness and micro self-care to manage stress
- Ethical confidence: Maintain integrity and demonstrate expertise
- Committing to behave ethically isn’t enough
- Reasons we may not be as ethical as we think we are
- ”Should” selves and “want” selves
- Recollection biases
- Ethical fading
- Motivated blindness
- Case example and Resources
- Narrow the gap
- Give voice to the “should” self
- ”Really?” Evaluate the decision-making process
- Relevant ethics code provisions and standards (PSY, LPC, SW, MFT)
- Self-disclosure guidelines
- When to share personal information with clients
- Therapeutic benefits and risks
- Key considerations when considering a boundary crossing
- Boundary violations in the digital age
- Risk management strategies
- Case examples
- Different types of dual relationships and conflicts of interests
- Determine whether a dual relationship is ethical or unethical
- Dual relationships and boundary crossings
- Formulate an effective ethical decision-making model
- Unique boundary challenges working in small towns, rural areas, and other close-knit communities
- Case examples
Target Audience
- Counselors
- Social Workers
- Psychologists
- Therapists
- Physicians
- Marriage & Family Therapists
- Case Managers
- Other Mental Health Professionals
Reviews
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