Continuing Education for Psychologists

THE ETHICS OF PRIVATE PRACTICE
A Practical Guide for Mental Health Professionals

The Ethics of Private Practice helps mental health professionals understand the essential ethical issues related to the many challenges of being in independent practice. Seasoned clinicians Barnett, Zimmerman, and Walfish offer readers astute insight into building a practice that is designed to minimize unintended ethics violations and reduce associated risks. Each chapter focuses on a major aspect of the business of practice and incorporates relevant standards from the ethics codes of four mental health professions. Topics addressed include planning and successfully managing a practice, documentation and record keeping, dealing with third parties and protecting confidentiality, managing practice finances, staff training and office policies, advertising and marketing a practice, continuing professional development activities, and the closing of a private practice. Full of practical tips that can be readily implemented, this handy guide will be the go-to resource for all mental health clinicians in private practice.

Jeffrey E. Barnett, Psy.D, is a licensed psychologist with 30 years of experience in independent practice. He also is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Loyala University Maryland. He is a past Chair of the APA Ethics Committee and has published and presented widely on ethics and professional practice issues for mental health professionals. Jeffrey Zimmerman, Ph.D, has been in private practice since 1981. He is also a Founding Partner of The Practice Institute. Steven Walfish, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and has been in independent practice since 1982. He has built three successful private practices in Florida, Washington, and Georgia. He is also a Founding Partner of The Practice Institute. He has been the editory of the Independent Practitioner.

"Every counselor and mental health professional will benefit from this practical resource covering ethical challenges in running a private practice. The astounding amount of helpful advice provided by these highly qualified and experienced authors is not to be found in most other ethics books."
--Patricia Keith-Spiegel, PhD, Voran Honors Distinguished Professor Emerita of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Ball State University, Co-author, Ethics in Psychology and the Mental Health Professions, and Author, Red Flags in Psychotherapy

"You will feel grateful to have this book as a resource. Reading the chapters is like having a series of sessions with a wise mentor who is helping you raise and weigh the most important options at hand before making a professional decision. Whether you are starting out, transitioning, or simply wanting to have a deeper awareness of how to minimize risk and uncertainty, this book is surely a major step in aiding you to have a more fulfilling and informed experience as a clinician or consultant. A must-read for professionals in today's changing, challenging, and litigious mental health scene."
--Robert J. Wicks, PsyD, Author, The Resilient Clinician

"I strongly recommend this very clarifying and comprehensive book written by seasoned clinicians, which applies to all aspects of the delivery of mental health treatment. It is thoroughly educational and thought-provoking for all therapists, from novice to experienced, those in private practice or public service sectors, and agency workers to academicians." -Noreen Keenan, LCSW, PhD, Private Practice, Orlando, FL

"The Ethics of Private Practice provides a conversational approach focused on both new and experienced private practice clinicians, in this practical and engaging guide to private practice ethics for mental health clinicians. The authors utilize not only APA's code, but those of AAMFT, ACA, and NASW. They also include legal information (such as HIPAA) and models for ethical decision-making. [I]t is relevant and important to ethical practice with every person, organization, and community."
--Shoshana D. Kerewsky, The Oregon Psychologist

A sensible, well-timed and precisely targeted message for companies shaken by macroeconomic crises"
--Financial Times