NEFESH: The International Network of Orthodox Mental Health Professionals
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(FREE COMMUNITY PROGRAM) How to Stay Safe When You Choose a Therapist:
Recognition, Treatment and Prevention of Abuse by the People We Turn To For Help

 

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When a counselor or therapist provides treatment for psychological difficulties, a power differential exists between the clinician and the patient. The person seeking help is in an emotionally vulnerable and dependent position. For this reason, all professional psychotherapy disciplines (psychiatry, psychology, psychoanalysis, clinical social work, licensed professional counseling, and licensed mental health counseling) have developed rules and ethics to prevent exploitation by therapists of their patients. Actually, power-differentials like this occur not only in professional psychotherapy treatment but also in other hierarchical relationships: boss-employee, doctor-patient, teacher-student, mentor–supervisee, and rabbi–congregant.

Abuse and exploitation by therapists, rabbis, or teachers cause serious, long-term consequences for the people who are victimized, and this includes trauma, increased suffering from mental illness, and a much higher risk of suicide. Individuals who have been sexually abused require psychotherapy treatment (and often psychotropic medications) by professionals with specialized training.

All professional licensing boards establish a mechanism for people to lodge complaints against the practitioners whose licenses they regulate and employ professional investigators to look into credible allegations. When allegations are corroborated, the offending clinicians are sanctioned, and (depending on the severity) this may include criminal prosecution and/or suspension of their licenses to practice as mental health professionals.

Like many other insular ethnic groups, Orthodox Jewish communities are vulnerable to an abundance of non-professional "counselors" who have had no real training and who do not report to any licensing board or other governing agency that can provide oversight. Therefore, like other ethnic groups, our communities are at increased risk for receiving deficient treatment from untrained non-professionals and exploitation by charlatans and predators.

This talk will delineate the parameters of professional psychotherapy treatment. Dr. Klafter will explain the differences between psychotherapy treatment and rabbinic/pastoral counseling or coaching. He will outline what we have the right to expect from our professional mental health providers and how to recognize red flags for unprofessional conduct. He will discuss the psychological damage caused when we are exploited (financially, emotionally, or sexually) by the people we turn to for help and give recommendations for how to find treatment when this occurs.

https://nefesh.org/workshops/Howto2noce/view

(FREE COMMUNITY PROGRAM) How to Stay Safe When You Choose a Therapist:
Recognition, Treatment and Prevention of Abuse by the People We Turn To For Help

Previously Recorded
$0.00 PRESENTER: Nachum (Andrew) Klafter, MD

 

TO REGISTER FOR THE FREE EVENT

  • CLICK "BUY IT NOW"
  • ENTER EMAIL AND PASSWORD

 

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ACCOUNT AT NEFESH

  • CLICK THE OPTION "NEW USER" TO CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT
  • ENTER EMAIL
  • ENTER  PASSWORD" 2X
  • CLICK CREATE ACCOUNT
  • CLICK CONFIRM TO FINALIZE THE REGISTRATION

 

YOU WILL GET AN EMAIL CONFIRMATION IN YOUR INBOX

IF YOU DO NOT SEE THE EMAIL, CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER

 

When a counselor or therapist provides treatment for psychological difficulties, a power differential exists between the clinician and the patient. The person seeking help is in an emotionally vulnerable and dependent position. For this reason, all professional psychotherapy disciplines (psychiatry, psychology, psychoanalysis, clinical social work, licensed professional counseling, and licensed mental health counseling) have developed rules and ethics to prevent exploitation by therapists of their patients. Actually, power-differentials like this occur not only in professional psychotherapy treatment but also in other hierarchical relationships: boss-employee, doctor-patient, teacher-student, mentor–supervisee, and rabbi–congregant.

Abuse and exploitation by therapists, rabbis, or teachers cause serious, long-term consequences for the people who are victimized, and this includes trauma, increased suffering from mental illness, and a much higher risk of suicide. Individuals who have been sexually abused require psychotherapy treatment (and often psychotropic medications) by professionals with specialized training.

All professional licensing boards establish a mechanism for people to lodge complaints against the practitioners whose licenses they regulate and employ professional investigators to look into credible allegations. When allegations are corroborated, the offending clinicians are sanctioned, and (depending on the severity) this may include criminal prosecution and/or suspension of their licenses to practice as mental health professionals.

Like many other insular ethnic groups, Orthodox Jewish communities are vulnerable to an abundance of non-professional "counselors" who have had no real training and who do not report to any licensing board or other governing agency that can provide oversight. Therefore, like other ethnic groups, our communities are at increased risk for receiving deficient treatment from untrained non-professionals and exploitation by charlatans and predators.

This talk will delineate the parameters of professional psychotherapy treatment. Dr. Klafter will explain the differences between psychotherapy treatment and rabbinic/pastoral counseling or coaching. He will outline what we have the right to expect from our professional mental health providers and how to recognize red flags for unprofessional conduct. He will discuss the psychological damage caused when we are exploited (financially, emotionally, or sexually) by the people we turn to for help and give recommendations for how to find treatment when this occurs.

About the Presenter

Dr. Klafter is a psychoanalyst, adult and adolescent psychiatrist, and psychotherapy supervisor. He maintains a private practice in Cincinnati, Ohio and serves as the Senior Psychiatric Consultant at the Ezras Choilim Health Center in Kiryas Joel, New York. He supervises and trains psychologists, licensed counselors, clinical social workers, and psychiatrists, who are pursuing advanced training in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis.

(FREE COMMUNITY PROGRAM) How to Stay Safe When You Choose a Therapist:
Recognition, Treatment and Prevention of Abuse by the People We Turn To For Help

Previously Recorded

Presenter: PRESENTER: Nachum (Andrew) Klafter, MD

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Course Length: 2 Hours

Learning Objectives:

  1. Explain why licensure, although not perfect, provides a significant measure of protection to the public against exploitation, abuse, and sub-optimal care.
  2. Define (1) Boundaries, (2) Boundary Violations, and (3) Ethics
  3. Describe the long-term consequences of sexual boundary violations and sexual abuse, and how individuals who have been exploited can obtain help.
Times New Roman

 

TO REGISTER FOR THE FREE EVENT

  • CLICK "BUY IT NOW"
  • ENTER EMAIL AND PASSWORD

 

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ACCOUNT AT NEFESH

  • CLICK THE OPTION "NEW USER" TO CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT
  • ENTER EMAIL
  • ENTER  PASSWORD" 2X
  • CLICK CREATE ACCOUNT
  • CLICK CONFIRM TO FINALIZE THE REGISTRATION

 

YOU WILL GET AN EMAIL CONFIRMATION IN YOUR INBOX

IF YOU DO NOT SEE THE EMAIL, CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER

 

When a counselor or therapist provides treatment for psychological difficulties, a power differential exists between the clinician and the patient. The person seeking help is in an emotionally vulnerable and dependent position. For this reason, all professional psychotherapy disciplines (psychiatry, psychology, psychoanalysis, clinical social work, licensed professional counseling, and licensed mental health counseling) have developed rules and ethics to prevent exploitation by therapists of their patients. Actually, power-differentials like this occur not only in professional psychotherapy treatment but also in other hierarchical relationships: boss-employee, doctor-patient, teacher-student, mentor–supervisee, and rabbi–congregant.

Abuse and exploitation by therapists, rabbis, or teachers cause serious, long-term consequences for the people who are victimized, and this includes trauma, increased suffering from mental illness, and a much higher risk of suicide. Individuals who have been sexually abused require psychotherapy treatment (and often psychotropic medications) by professionals with specialized training.

All professional licensing boards establish a mechanism for people to lodge complaints against the practitioners whose licenses they regulate and employ professional investigators to look into credible allegations. When allegations are corroborated, the offending clinicians are sanctioned, and (depending on the severity) this may include criminal prosecution and/or suspension of their licenses to practice as mental health professionals.

Like many other insular ethnic groups, Orthodox Jewish communities are vulnerable to an abundance of non-professional "counselors" who have had no real training and who do not report to any licensing board or other governing agency that can provide oversight. Therefore, like other ethnic groups, our communities are at increased risk for receiving deficient treatment from untrained non-professionals and exploitation by charlatans and predators.

This talk will delineate the parameters of professional psychotherapy treatment. Dr. Klafter will explain the differences between psychotherapy treatment and rabbinic/pastoral counseling or coaching. He will outline what we have the right to expect from our professional mental health providers and how to recognize red flags for unprofessional conduct. He will discuss the psychological damage caused when we are exploited (financially, emotionally, or sexually) by the people we turn to for help and give recommendations for how to find treatment when this occurs.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Explain why licensure, although not perfect, provides a significant measure of protection to the public against exploitation, abuse, and sub-optimal care.
  2. Define (1) Boundaries, (2) Boundary Violations, and (3) Ethics
  3. Describe the long-term consequences of sexual boundary violations and sexual abuse, and how individuals who have been exploited can obtain help.

Agenda:
  1.  What is psychotherapy? (10min)

    2.      Professional boundaries and ethics (15 min)

    3.      Boundary crossings and boundary violations (15 min)

    4.      The impact of sexual abuse, including sexual boundary violations by therapists or other helping professionals (15 min)

    5.      Treatment for sexual abuse and sexual boundary violations (15 min)

    6.     The importance of reporting abuse or boundary violations to the authorities (10 min)

    a.      The halakhic obligation to report abuse

    b.     The danger of not reporting – more individuals will be abused and harmed

    c.      How to report boundary violations to the authorities

    7.      The importance of licensure and the danger to our communities posed by unlicensed counselors (10 min)

    8.     Q/A (30 min)



This presentation is open to:
  • Social Workers
  • Professional Counselors
  • Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
  • Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
  • Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
Course Level: intermediate
Level of Clinician: intermediate
  • New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
  • Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
  • Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
  • Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives
Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by the NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
Refund Policy: Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.
48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.
*exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.