Posted: September 3rd, 2022

Legal and Ethical Considerations for Group and Family Therapy

Legal and Ethical Considerations for Group and Family Therapy
Therapy aids in the treatment of various mental disorders. Unlike individual therapy, group and family therapy involves two or more individuals in the therapeutic process. Group therapy increases access to care and makes treatment more affordable. It also ensures diversity in medical practice. A clinician should be aware of the ethical and legal considerations in group and family therapy.
First, clinicians should ensure privacy and confidentiality. They should not disclose information about the group to other people unless there is an individual who has the potential to cause harm to themselves or other group members. The clinicians should emphasize confidentiality to other group members from the orientation stage. In case the participants are minors, clinicians should request their guardians to maintain confidentiality.
Secondly, they should get informed consent. A participant has a right to know what to expect and the type of services offered. They have a right to decide whether to participate or not. Information about and an individual should not be disclosed to the group unless the individual has agreed to share it with others.
Group and family therapists face more challenges compared to individual therapists. Group therapists should establish trust within the group. Members should not be afraid of expressing themselves due to fear of intimidation or judgment; good relations among members and the clinician aid in the achievement of group session goals.
A clinician should advocate for the welfare of all, and they should not be an agent of one or several members. Clinicians should not allow the improvement of one member at the expense another; they should apply the modalities of effective treatment. They should be aware of the challenges in interpersonal communication and attend to them as they unveil.
To boost confidentiality, a clinician should attend to one family at a time. That will ensure that group members will not shy away from sharing their secrets. It will also help in understanding the family better. Privacy is essential; a clinician should not disclose information revealed by an individual during a private discussion such as a phone call unless the person agrees to it.
The involvement of sexual activities between a patient and a therapist is unethical. A survey conducted among mental health practitioners revealed that there are 5% to 10% of cases of sexual involvement. Participants are vulnerable; whether they are children or adults, therapists should not take advantage of them. Finally, the therapist is responsible for documenting the needs of the patient, the type of care given, and the response.

References
Margolin, Gayla. “Ethical and legal considerations in marital and family therapy.” American Psychologist 37.7 (1982): 788.
Corey, Gerald, George T. Williams, and Mary E. Moline. “Ethical and legal issues in group counseling.” Ethics & Behavior 5.2 (1995): 161-183.
Alonso, Anne. Group therapy in clinical practice. American Psychiatric Pub, 1993.

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