Polaris Insight: Module EM, Ethics and Client Expectations

In this workshop, we dive deeply into the world of ethics in KAP, focusing on themes and topics that are important for clinicians to know in order to effectively and safely deliver care. Working with such powerful boundary-dissolving tools can add an extra layer of challenge, requiring skill and support, particularly in the realm of ethical considerations. We explore best practices for dealing with situations that evoke ethical questions such as touch, transference/countertransference, boundary violations, and power differentials in professional relationships. We address both conceptual frameworks and tangible, real-world scenarios to explore ethical responsibility for clinicians, prevention strategies, and the call for reparative/restorative processes after a breach.

We describe some common elements of the unspoken contracts of a therapeutic relationship and the ruptures that can result if these are not addressed in a direct and relational manner. We lead participants through experiential exercises to learn how to work with ruptures when they do occur as well as how to address expectations for clients through direct conversations during preparation sessions. We also explore grounding practices to help clinicians reorient and reconnect to their core principles during difficult sessions, giving you practical tools to help find your feet in the midst of a storm.