[xenko]

I think a T should be REQUIRED TO attend refresher training. My T is totally lacking morals. The quote below gave me pause to wonder what the mental health system is doing to keep their "professionals" in line?

Originally Posted by xenko

"To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society"

Theodore Roosevelt

[stopdog]

They do have continuuing education requirements. I don't believe those sorts of things do any good, but they do have to complete x number of hours each year -at least in my jurisdiction.

Where I am from (Ireland) therapist have to do 50 hours CPD a year and have supervision regularly or your accreditation will be revoked. I agree with you that ts need to be trained more and more every year. There is so much to learn.

It is important to have good education and reminders... however, I think someone's morals are not simple and something that will be influenced significantly just with classes every once in a while. It's something that develops (or gets corrupted) over time, due to a variety of factors (some intrinsic, others external). If someone completely lacks morals, I would think it's probably unlikely that they will change much overnight or via taking some classes they are probably not so receptive to in the first place.

[brillskep]

I my country too there are rules to have continuing training throughout the whole professional life as a psychotherapist. But having good training is another issue ... one would have to pick good quality training programs and also really learn something. A lack of ethics is indeed a matter of education and that can be fixed, but it can also be a matter of lifestyle and personality traits and that would be better addressed in personal therapy than in training, I think. I think a combination of ongoing therapy/training/supervision is optimal, but with so many different standards, licensing bodies, associations, schools, etc, I find that the formal requirements can be evaded by those who aren't truly motivated to do their best and keep growing. I think it's a sad reality in some cases.

[growlycat]

I agree with refresher training but sadly I don't think it stops unethical t's from remaining unethical

[Sarmas]

Originally Posted by brillskep

I my country too there are rules to have continuing training throughout the whole professional life as a psychotherapist. But having good training is another issue ... one would have to pick good quality training programs and also really learn something. A lack of ethics is indeed a matter of education and that can be fixed, but it can also be a matter of lifestyle and personality traits and that would be better addressed in personal therapy than in training, I think. I think a combination of ongoing therapy/training/supervision is optimal, but with so many different standards, licensing bodies, associations, schools, etc, I find that the formal requirements can be evaded by those who aren't truly motivated to do their best and keep growing. I think it's a sad reality in some cases.

I think that the training and supervision is important as well. I think certain Ts get into a comfort zone and either knowingly or unknowingly they can develop habits which can cause a negative effect during session. I think that the supervision and training can probably bring these negative habits to a therapists awareness of he or she was unaware. Perhaps for those that just do it because they can its a reminder that certain things should be avoided during session. I think certain Ts take advantage of the power and Liberty that they have in session and sometimes they exploit them. Of course this wouldn't work in every case but hopefully diminish the amount of issues that clients encounter.