The Counselor and the Law: A Guide to Legal and Ethical Practice

In this bestselling book, attorney Nancy Wheeler and Burt Bertram, a private practitioner and counselor educator, combine their far-reaching experience to inform counselors and other mental health professionals about the legal and ethical dilemmas that can arise in practice. In addition to providing a broad overview of the law and ethics, including coverage of crucial changes and new and emerging concerns since publication of the last edition, they discuss current information on federal and state law, professionals' legal and ethical responsibilities, and how to manage the risks inherent in the delivery of mental health services.

This edition contains new chapters on the use of social media and legal and ethical issues in counseling diverse populations, as well as updates to HIPAA, a new legal/ethical decision-making model, and legal risks specific to counselor educators such as recent court cases involving students' work with LGBT clients. The issues surrounding civil malpractice liability and licensure board complaints, confidentiality, duty to warn, suicide and threats of harm to self, professional boundaries, records and documentation, and managing a counseling practice are also addressed in detail.