2023 Respond by suggesting strategies to address the legal and ethical considerations your colleagues discussed

 Respond  by suggesting strategies to address the legal and ethical  considerations your colleagues discussed. Support your responses with  evidence-based literature. 

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Psychotherapy  is an integral part of mental health treatment. Psychotherapy involves  accepted therapies that are capable of producing change or maintain  acceptable behavior or function in individuals and families as well as  alleviate emotional distress or symptoms that affect individual or  family growth and development (American Psychiatric Nurses  Association-APNA, 2014). Like in every profession, there are always  rules and regulations that guide the actions. Psychotherapy of any type  allows the therapists to get to individual’s or families’ confidential  issues. Therefore, the legal and ethical rights of the people involved  must be considered and respected. However, it is crucial to understand  the differences between individual, family, and group therapies.

Difference between legal and ethical considerations for group and family therapy and individual therapy

When  it comes to the ethical and legal considerations in psychotherapy,  Miller (2018) identified the following essential issues; Responsibility,  Confidentiality, personal value as well as informed consent.  Responsibility: The therapists must understand her limits in each type  of therapy. In individual therapy, the therapist has a one to one  relationship with the client; however, the relationship differs in  family therapy and group therapy, the therapist views the family or the  group as one unit and acts as the group leader, facilitator,  environmental manager, educator/teacher, and or cheerleader. The  therapist is committed to promoting the welfare of every member involved  in the treatment process.  Confidentiality, on the other hand is one  vital ethical issue in psychotherapy. In individual therapy, the  therapist is concerned with keeping the information of the one  individual in confidence, whereas in family therapy, confidentiality  becomes very crucial. Though the family is considered as one unit, every  individual’s secret or information must be kept in confidence. Every  member must understand the issue of confidentiality. This issue of  confidentiality becomes more difficult in group therapy than individual  therapy due to more chances of leakage or breach of confidentiality  among the group members. Confidentiality should become one of the most  critical group norms, and it should be discussed openly, thoroughly, and  often among group members (McClanahan, 2014). Another ethical issue is  respect for personal value. It is easy to study and respect individual  and family values and culture. However, in group therapy, the counselor  has a more significant work of studying every member of the group to  avoid offending anyone or be misunderstood.  

One  important legal consideration in psychotherapy is the issue of informed  consent, either individual, family, or group therapy. In individual  therapy, therapeutic consent is required from the one individual. Any  sharing of information must be consented and signed by the individual.  Whereas in family therapy, every member of the family involved or  invited must consent for the therapy. The therapist must uphold the  individual client’s confidentiality to other family members. The same  applies to group therapy, where every member of the group consents to be  involved in the group. The level of information shared is determined by  each member of the group while the group leader holds everyone’s  information in confidence. 

Impact of the differences in legal and ethical considerations in individual, family and group therapy

As  a PMHNP, understanding the importance of confidentiality will help in  safeguarding every individual’s information. Building trust and  confidence between the therapist and the clients depends on respecting  the individual’s family and group values and cultures. For any  therapeutic approach, the patient must consent to treatment to avoid  breaching professional guidelines and avoid possible lawsuits from  patients and families. The PMHNP should address the issue of  confidentiality to individual clients, families, and group members  before embarking on any therapeutic counseling. Though family therapy  members are seen as an entity, the therapist must understand the  importance of maintaining the confidentiality of information of every  member of the family. Finally, consent must be received and signed for  any information to be released or shared to avoid violation of  confidence and The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act  (HIPPA). HIPPA is one of the acts that guide the practices of a nurse  when it comes to Group and Family Therapy. Clients benefit when  information is kept confidential, and a trusting relationship can be  achieved. The disclosure of private information without client consent  can harm the therapeutic relationship even when such disclosures are  mandated by law (McClanahan, 2014). So as a PMHNP, I must recognize the  importance of individual consents both in individual, family, and group  therapy, respect each value and maintain the confidentiality of  information as part of my work as a therapist. 

                                            References

American Psychiatric Nurses Association-APNA, (2014) Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice. (2nd ed). Retrieved June 4, 2020, from http://www.apna.org/

McClanahan  K.K (July 21, 2014) Can Confidentiality be Maintained in Group Therapy?  Retrieved June 4, 2020, from  https://nationalpsychologist.com/2014/07/can-confidentiality-be-maintained-in-group-therapy/102566.html

Miller  A (December 31, 2018) Types of Ethical Issues a Counselor May Face When  Working with Families. Retrieved June 4, 2020, from  https://careertrend.com/aba-therapist-salaries-13660801.html.