Skip to main content

This Couldn't Happen to Me: Boundary Problems and Sexual Misconduct in the Psychotherapy Relationship

To help ensure your CEs are relevant to your practice, we regularly retire courses that are no longer current. This course has been retired. It is no longer available.

We add new courses all the time. Try these categories:

About the Course

Drawing on their own consultative experience illustrated by case vignettes and with support from the professional literature, the authors discuss the perennial problematic issue of boundary violations and sexual misconduct, aiming at an audience of both experienced and novice clinicians. The authors review the difference between boundary crossings and boundary violations and stress the therapist’s responsibility to maintain boundaries. Therapist risk factors for violations include the therapist’s own life crises, a tendency to idealize a “special” patient or an inability to set limits, and denial about the possibility of boundary problems. Factors exacerbating patient vulnerability, such as overdependence
on the therapist, seeking therapy to find an intense relationship
or even “true love,” and the acceptance by childhood abuse victims
of an abusive therapy relationship, are discussed. Consultation and education—for students and for clinicians at all levels of experience—and effective supervision are reviewed as approaches to boundary problems. (Psychiatric Services 54:517–522, 2003)

This course is based on the reading-based online article, This Couldn’t Happen to Me: Boundary Problems and Sexual Misconduct in the Psychotherapy Relationship created by Donna M. Norris, M.D., Thomas G. Gutheil, M.D., Larry H. Strasburger, M.D.

Publication Date:

April 2003

Course Material Author

Donna M. Norris, M.D., Thomas G. Gutheil, M.D., Larry H. Strasburger, M.D.

Donna M. Norris, M.D., Thomas G. Gutheil, M.D., Larry H. Strasburger, M.D. authored the material only, and was not involved in creating this CE course. They are identified here for your own evaluation of the relevancy of the material this course is based on.

Course Creator

Recommended For:

This basic-to-intermediate course material is designed for Licensed Professional Counselors, Social Workers, Psychologists, Chemical Dependency Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, Nurses, and other allied healthcare professionals who are likely to gain professionally from increased knowledge in the areas of ethics and boundary issues.

Course Objectives:

After taking this course, you should be able to:

  1. To assess the difference between boundary crossings and boundary violations and stress the therapist's responsibility to maintain boundaries in a therapeutic relationship. 2. To understand therapist risk factors for such violations. 3. To understand the factors that exacerbate patient vulnerability in a therapeutic setting.
  2. To understand therapist risk factors for such violations.
  3. To understand the factors that exacerbate patient vulnerability in a therapeutic setting

Disclosure to Learners

Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships

CE Learning Systems adheres to the ACCME's Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity – including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others ― are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (formerly known as commercial interests).

The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity's planners, faculty, and the reviewer:

Planners and Reviewers

The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.

Faculty: Max Schwanekamp

There are no relevant disclosures.

Commercial support

There is no commercial support for this distance-learning course.

Exam Questions

All exam questions for the course are visible on this page for members of Addiction Counselor CE.

Membership is free, and you can register today! You'll only pay when you're ready to purchase a course, or if you take advantage of the Unlimited Package.

If you're already a member, please sign in to see the exam questions for this and all other courses.

Discuss this course

You can share your thoughts about this course after you pass the exam.

Sign In or Register to get started.

FAQs

  • Is this course approved for my continuing education requirements?

    Yes, most likely. Look Up Your State Board for more detailed information. Logged-in site members will see the relevant approval information displayed in the Approvals tab for every course.

  • Do you have accommodations for my disability (ADA)?

    If you are having trouble using Addiction Counselor CE, please contact us! We would be happy to accommodate your needs right away, and your input will help us make Addiction Counselor CE more accessible for future users too.

  • How do I enroll in this course?

    Use the Enroll In This Course button and just follow the instructions! You don't pay anything until you're ready to take an exam.

  • What do I have to do to complete the course?

    To complete the course, review the course objectives, then review the material, and then pass the exam with a score of 75% or greater and lastly complete an evaluation.

  • How do I access the materials?

    Most of our courses are based on online articles available for free to the public. Some courses, such as those based on books, require that you purchase the material. Use the Materials tab above for more info. You don't need to enroll in the course to access materials, whether free or paid. So you always know what you're getting into before you commit to taking the exam.

  • How do I get my certificate?

    Your certificate(s) will be available to download or email immediately when you pass the course exam and complete the evaluation.

  • Can I contact you for more help?

    Yes! Use the Help widget at the bottom-right of the screen anywhere on Addiction Counselor CE to search our help docs, or to ask our support team for help. Unlike most of our competitors, Addiction Counselor CE has live US-based support reps to help you by email, chat, or phone.

Course Retired
Course Number 101770
1 CE credit hour
Sign in for credit hours relevant to your credentials.

  • Reading-Based Online
Exam Fee $5.97
There's no exam fee with an Unlimited CE membership! Read More

No Cost Materials

321 members have taken this course

Try a free CE course.

Get started by trying a free course of your choice. No payment info required!

Sign Up Free

View all free trial courses

Happy therapist using Addiction Counselor CE