Ethical Decision Making for Mental Health Professionals CE Webinar for therapists, counselors, psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists
 
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Ethical Decision Making for Mental Health Professionals - 5 hours


To access the discount form for registering for multiple workshops or participants, please click here.

When & Where:

  • Date: Friday, April 24, 2026
  • Time: 11:00am - 5:00pm Eastern Time
  • CE Hours Included: 5 Ethics or Core (please see below for details)
  • Location: Live Interactive Webinar ("Synchronous") on Zoom
  • Investment: $120 before Friday, April 10th at 5:00pm Eastern Time, $135 after
  • Presented by: Nicole Thaxton, PhD, LPC, CPCS (see bio below)
  • Workshop Recording: A recording of this workshop is available to review for 60 days after the presentation. However, participants must attend live to receive the "Synchronous" CE Certificate.
  • Instruction Level: Intermediate
  • Target Audience: Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists

Learning Objectives:

After completing this workshop in its entirety, you will be able to:

  • Discuss key ethical principles and state licensing board requirements that guide mental health practice.
  • Assess common ethical dilemmas related to boundaries, dual relationships, confidentiality, documentation, and telehealth.
  • Apply at least one formal ethical decision-making model to real-world clinical scenarios.
  • Evaluate risk factors that contribute to ethical violations and implement strategies to reduce or prevent harm in clinical practice.
  • Demonstrate an increased ability to resolve ethical conflicts through case-based discussion and structured decision-making approaches.

Workshop Description:

Are you needing up-to-date, practical ethics CEs?

Ethical competence is the foundation of effective mental health practice. This 5-hour continuing education workshop equips mental health professionals with a practical, comprehensive understanding of ethical principles, decision-making models, and real-world application across clinical settings. Participants will explore key ethical codes, common pitfalls, boundary considerations, documentation practices, and emerging issues affecting client care in today’s fast-paced digital world.

Through case examples, discussion, and applied problem-solving, this workshop will strengthen participants’ ability to identify ethical challenges early, navigate dilemmas with confidence, and make decisions that protect clients, uphold the profession, and maintain alignment with state laws and licensing board requirements. Whether you are an early-career clinician, a seasoned practitioner, or a clinical supervisor who trains clinicians, this training will deepen your ethical awareness and support your commitment to practicing with integrity.

This workshop integrates culturally specific case examples to explore ethical decision-making and the influence of culture on applying ethical principles.

Course Outline:

  • Foundations of Ethical Practice in Mental Health (60 minutes)
    • Overview of core ethical principles (autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, fidelity, justice)
    • Key professional codes (ACA, NASW, APA, AAMFT, NBCC)
    • Ethics vs. law: how to interpret and apply both
    • Obligations related to informed consent, competence, and scope of practice
  • Common Ethical Dilemmas in Clinical Practice (60 minutes)
    • Boundaries & dual relationships (clients, former clients, social media, community settings)
    • Confidentiality concerns (exceptions, minors, couples/family cases, subpoenas)
    • Technology & telehealth considerations (platforms, security, documentation)
    • Documentation challenges (record-keeping, case notes, client access to records)
    • Managing high-risk situations ethically (danger to self/others, mandated reporting)
  • Ethical Decision-Making Models in Action (60 minutes)
    • Overview of leading ethical decision-making models (e.g., Forester-Miller & Davis, ACA, etc.)
    • Step-by-step demonstration using sample cases
    • Differentiating personal values from ethical obligations
    • Practicing application of decision-making models through guided scenarios
    • Group discussion: strengths and limitations of each model
  • Preventing Ethical Violations & Reducing Risk (60 minutes)
    • Most common causes of ethical complaints and board investigations
    • Recognizing early warning signs of ethical drift
    • Strategies for risk reduction: consultation, supervision, boundaries, transparency
    • Practical tools for ethical recordkeeping and informed consent
    • Professional self-care as an ethical duty (burnout prevention, impairment recognition)
  • Case-Based Application, Integration & Skill Demonstration (60 minutes)
    • Interactive case studies covering complex, multi-layered ethical dilemmas
    • Problem-solving using formal ethical decision-making models
    • Discussion of alternative resolutions and potential outcomes
    • Documentation exercises: writing an ethical rationale in notes
    • Final integration: personal action plan for ethical practice

Workshop Schedule (Eastern Time):

  • 10:30am - 11:00am | Sign-In and Welcome
  • 11:00am - 12:30pm | Session
  • 12:30pm - 12:40pm | Break
  • 12:40pm - 1:55pm | Session
  • 1:55pm - 2:35pm | Lunch Break
  • 2:35pm - 3:35pm | Session
  • 3:35pm - 3:45pm | Break
  • 3:45pm - 5:00pm | Session
  • 5:00pm | Continuing Education Certificates Available

Presented by: Nicole Thaxton, PhD, LPC, CPCS

Nicole Thaxton, PhD, LPC, CPCS, is a counselor educator and the founder of Atlanta Wellness Collective, a multi-location holistic mental health practice serving clients across Georgia. A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor (CPCS), Dr. Nicole has spent over a decade training, supervising, and mentoring clinicians while counseling high-achieving individuals and families navigating anxiety, stress, burnout, grief, and relational challenges.

Dr. Nicole is a sought-after continuing education presenter, best known for her engaging, practical teaching style and her ability to make complex ethical concepts both accessible and actionable. She provides statewide and national training on counseling ethics, clinical supervision, and professional identity development. In partnership with The Knowledge Tree, she teaches the 30-hour CPCS/ACS supervision certification curriculum to emerging supervisors nationwide.

A third-generation Atlantan and longtime advocate for ethical, sustainable practice, Dr. Nicole leads a team of clinicians at Atlanta Wellness Collective and offers consultation and supervisory oversight to licensed and pre-licensed providers. Her work blends clinical depth, real-world experience, and a deep commitment to helping counselors serve clients with integrity and excellence.

Learn more at atlwell.com and nicolethaxton.com.

5 Ethics or Core CEs Included - Details by License Type Below:

  • PSYCHOLOGISTS: The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company maintains responsibility for this program and its content. For more detailed information on the current CE ruling in Georgia, or if you are licensed in another state or country, please click here.
  • COUNSELORS: The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP), ACEP No. 7153. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Please click here for more detailed information.
  • SOCIAL WORKERS: TKT has applied for approval for this workshop through the Georgia Society for Clinical Social Work (GSCSW). If you are licensed in another state or country, please click here for more detailed information.
  • MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPISTS: This workshop is approved for Ethics Hours for Marriage and Family Therapists via GSCSW through a reciprocal agreement with the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage & Family Therapists. If you are licensed in another state or country, please click here for more detailed information.

Registration: To register for individual workshops, you may use our online payment option, or to pay by check you may print and complete the Registration Form and mail or fax it to our office. The registration form is available on our website: www.theknowledgetree.org. Registration is permitted until the time the workshop begins, unless otherwise specified.

Multiple Workshop Special: There is a 10% Discount with registration for two workshops. There is a 15% Discount with registrations for three or four workshops. There is a 20% Discount with registration for five or more workshops.

Refund/Cancellation Policy: If you can no longer attend a workshop you have registered for, you can either receive a credit for another workshop or receive a refund if you are within the refund policy period. Refunds will be given for cancellations received at least five days prior to the workshop. More information about refund/cancellation can be found here.

Attendance Policy: 100% attendance and completion of a course evaluation is required at any CE program in order to receive credit for that CE program. No partial credit is given. Certificates of completion will be available in each attendee’s account once the broadcast has ended and the course evaluation completed.

ADA Requests: We will make every effort to accommodate any reasonable ADA request. Please call or email us at least two weeks prior to the event. Payment and registration are required to fulfill an ADA request.

No Conflict Policy: Neither The Knowledge Tree nor its speakers have received any commercial support for this program or its contents and will not receive any commercial support prior to or during this program. 

System Requirements: Live Interactive Webinars are facilitated via Zoom. System requirements for the Zoom platform are linked at our FAQ page.

We are an approved vendor for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for easy reimbursement of educational expenses for VA employees.


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For information about our Continuing Education Workshops, please contact our Customer Service team at:

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The Knowledge Tree, a Summit Professional Education Company, offers courses that provide continuing education hours as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and holds Approved Continuing Education Provider/Sponsor status with professional organizations including APA and NBCC. Each licensee should check our detailed CE information page and ensure courses taken meet their specific state board requirements.