Episode 17: Existential Angst, Ethics, and Your Professional Will

11/04/14 • 63 min

Are you a psychologist working independently? If so, do you have a professional will? If not, you need to listen to this podcast. John welcomes Drs. Mary O’Leary Wiley and Cathy Spayd to outline the important points in constructing a professional will. A professional will is part of your ethical obligation to your patients should you die suddenly or become incapacitated. The podcast will address the pragmatics of constructing a professional will and why it is important for all psychologists to have a professional will.

At the end of the workshop the participants will be able to:

1. Explain the importance of a professional will.

2. Locate documents on the Internet to help create a professional will.

3. Create your professional will.

Click here to earn one APA-approved CE credit

Resources

Mary O'Leary Wiley, PhD ABPP web site

Catherine Spayd, PhD

Closing a Professional Practice: Clinical, Ethical and Practical Considerations for Psychologists Throughout the Lifespan PowerPoint presentation by Drs. Wiley and Spayd

APA Sample of a Professional Will

Ragusea, S. (2002). A professional living will for psychologists and other mental health professionals. In L. VandeCreek & T. Jackson (Eds.), Innovations in clinical practice: A source book (Vol. 20, pp. 301 – 305). Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Press.

Spayd, C.S. and Wiley, M.O. (2009). Closing a Professional Practice: Clinical and Practical Considerations. Pennsylvania Psychologist, 69 (11), 15-17.

Dashlane.com - A secure site to store passwords

At the end of the workshop the participants will be able to:

1. Explain the importance of a professional will.

2. Locate documents on the Internet to help create a professional will.

3. Create your professional will.

Click here to earn one APA-approved CE credit

Resources

Mary O'Leary Wiley, PhD ABPP web site

Catherine Spayd, PhD

Closing a Professional Practice: Clinical, Ethical and Practical Considerations for Psychologists Throughout the Lifespan PowerPoint presentation by Drs. Wiley and Spayd

APA Sample of a Professional Will

Spayd, C.S. and Wiley, M.O. (2009). Closing a Professional Practice: Clinical and Practical Considerations. Pennsylvania Psychologist, 69 (11), 15-17.

Dashlane.com - A secure site to store passwords

Previous Episode

Episode 16: Ethics and Telepsychology (Part 2)

John welcomes Dr. Marlene Maheu back for Part 2 of Ethics and Telepsychology. The podcast starts out with a vignette on practicing psychology over state lines using telepsychology. John and Marlene review important aspects of informed consent, privacy and security laws, documentation, and interstate practice. Marlene gives a variety of tips, including the need to utilize a risk management tool for telepsychology practice, additional components of informed consent, and the need to document more information.

At the end of the podcast, the listener will be able to:

1. Explain two important interjurisdictional issues with telepsychology.

2. Described three important components of informed consent with telepsychology.

3. List one relevant security law and one relevant security law related to the practice of telepsychology.

Click here to earn one APA-approved CE credit

Resources for Episode 16

TeleMental Health Institute, Inc.

American Psychological Association Guidelines on Telepsychology

HIPAA Security Standards: Technical Safeguards

HIPAA Risk Assessment Tool: HHS & HealthIT.gov

Gros, D. F., Yoder, M., Tuerk, P. W., Lozano, B. E., & Acierno, R. (2011). Exposure therapy for PTSD delivered to veterans via telehealth: Predictors of treatment completion and outcome and comparison to treatment delivered in person. Behavior Therapy, 42, 276-283.

doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2010.07.005

Harris, E., & Younggren, J. N. (2011). Risk management in the digital world. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 42, 412-418.

doi: 10.1037/a0025139

Bibliography from TeleMental Health Institute, Inc.

Marlene Maheu SlideShare

Next Episode

Episode 18: Critical Incidents and Psychologist Safety

If you have missed AM radio, then you will appreciate this episode. John experiments with conference call software with his guests to discuss ethics and safety from a psychologist's point of view. I apologize about the squeaks (Shannon's phone), scratches and other recording imperfections.

John's guests include Dr. Don McAleer, psychologist, gun owner, firearms instructor, firearm collector; Massad Ayoob, an international firearms and self-defense instructor, expert in lethal force encounters and shooting cases, and author; and, Dr. Shannon Clark, psychologist, FBI agent, active shooter and response instructor, and lifelong martial artist.

We discuss the ethics of nonmaleficence (do no harm) versus personal safety. It is no secret that psychologists are vulnerable to threat, assault, and stalking of patients and family members of patients. The overarching goal is to start a discussion for psychologists and mental health professionals about potential dangers for mental health professionals and some options to help keep them safe.

At the end of this podcast, the listener will be able to:

1. Outline your personal values related to safety in your professional life.

2. List the options to enhance personal safety in your office.

3. Describe several responsible steps to take if you decide to carry a firearm or house one in your office.

Reading Material

Ken Pope: Therapists' Resources for Threats, Stalking, or Assaults by Patients

Robert B. Young: When a Psychiatrist Shoots to Kill

Dave Grossman: On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society

Massad Ayoob: In the Gravest Extreme: The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection

Massad Ayoob: Deadly Force: Understanding Your Right to Self Defense

Massad Ayoob Information

Massad's Training Institute