Program Content Description:
Date: July 25th, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM CST
Workshop Description:
This full-day ethics workshop provides counselors with an in-depth examination of ethical and legal considerations related to online counseling practice. As technology-mediated counseling becomes a standard modality, clinicians must be equipped to ethically navigate informed consent, confidentiality, risk management, documentation, jurisdictional issues, and clinical decision-making within virtual environments.
Participants will explore ethical standards and professional responsibilities that apply to online counseling, including client privacy, platform security, boundaries, crisis response, and culturally responsive care. Through applied case examples and guided discussion, attendees will strengthen their ability to identify ethical risks, justify clinical decisions, and implement best practices that protect client welfare and professional integrity.
This training is designed for associate licensed counselors, licensed counselors, counselor educators, graduate counseling students, licensed social workers, and graduate social work students who currently provide or plan to provide online counseling services.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
- Identify ethical standards and professional responsibilities specific to online counseling practice
- Explain informed consent requirements and ethical considerations unique to counseling delivered through technology
Apply ethical decision-making models to online counseling scenarios, including high-risk and complex cases - Evaluate confidentiality, privacy, and documentation considerations in virtual counseling environments
- Recognize jurisdictional and licensure considerations relevant to online counseling practice
- Implement risk management strategies to support ethical, culturally responsive online counseling care
Content Areas Covered:
This training will review ethical standards from professional organizations such as the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), along with common state-specific considerations related to online counseling practice.
Content areas include informed consent, confidentiality and privacy, documentation standards, clinical boundaries, crisis planning, jurisdictional considerations, and ethical decision making in virtual counseling relationships. Case examples will highlight common ethical challenges and practical strategies for ethical compliance and client protection.
Itinerary (6-Hour Workshop):
8:00 am – 10:00 AM Ethical Foundations of Online Counseling
Professional standards, counselor responsibility, and ethical decision making frameworks
10:00 am – 10:15 AM
Break
10:15 AM – 12:00 PM Informed Consent, Confidentiality, and Risk Management
Ethical requirements, documentation expectations, and client communication
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch Break (Participants Provide Own Meal)
1:00 – 2:30 PM Applied Ethics in Online Counseling Practice
Clinical boundaries, crisis response, jurisdictional considerations, and case examples
2:30 – 2:45 PM
Break
2:30 – 3:30 PM Integration, Ethical Reflection, and Q&A
Ethical Emphasis:
Throughout the training, participants will engage in reflection and discussion focused on aligning clinical practice with ethical standards, documenting ethical rationale, and strengthening confidence in ethical decision making within online counseling settings.
6.00 Clock Hours National Board for Certificate Counselors – Provider No. 6763 (Ethics)
Presented by:
Dr. Ashley Garrett – PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, NCC & Founder
View our Cancellation Policy here.
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