3 CE Credit Hour Presentation the Ethics of Countertransference
The Ethics of Countertransference: Race, Gender, Religious and Political Beliefs
September 20, 2024
9am Pacific | 10am Mountain | 11am Central | Noon Eastern
Countertransference is, indeed, an ethical issue. It can be very confusing to try to manage our countertransference reactions due to differences we might have with our clients in terms of race, gender and religious and political beliefs. When countertransference is not properly recognized, and thus not properly managed, it can be extremely damaging to the therapeutic alliance. But when properly acknowledged and managed, countertransference can actually strengthen that critical connection. Thus – an ethical issue through and through.
Dive deep into the crucial gray areas of ethical practice
Learn from Kirsten Lind Seal, PhD, LMFT as she does a deep dive into examining the ways in which our understanding of issues and beliefs around race, politics, religion and gender contribute to the worldview of both therapist and client. This deeper self-knowledge clearly contributes in both positive and negative ways to the process of therapy and is thus crucial to managing the countransference. Learn how to ensure that you will be able to harness the full awareness of these countertransference situations, and therefore avoid the crucial countertransference pitfalls that can harm the alliance.
The literature on countertransference is clear that the most problematic types are when therapists are unaware of those feelings. This training is crucial for heightening competence in seeing, understanding, managing and navigating the different sorts of countertransference reactions and developing the skill set to do all of this. Does that seem impossible to do? Rest assured that it’s actually quite possible. But it does require a reframe, some conscious thought and ongoing in-the-moment decisions that are made by you, the clinician. So join us for this fascinating webinar where we will dive deep into the crucial gray areas of ethical practice. You and your clients will benefit. Everyone needs regular ethics trainings, and this webinar offers practical, clinically applicable interventions and new ways of thinking for clinicians of every level.
“Dr. Lind Seal was one of the best presenters I had heard in a long time. She and her material was excellent!
Ethical Considerations
Describe why understanding the connection between countertransference and race, gender, religious and political beliefs is crucial for ethical practice
Integrate Ethical Principles
Integrate relevant ethical principles and professional ethical codes into managing countertransference and self-disclosure
Create a countertransference management plan
Create ongoing countertransference management plan and apply a deeper understanding of implicit bias to same
Strengthen Abilities
Integrate a self-care plan into ongoing practice as a way to strengthen ability to skillfully manage political countertransference
Countertransference Consequences
Recognize and name 3 possible consequences of countertransference
Therapeutic and Ethical Methods
Compare and contrast 3 methods of therapeutically and ethically addressing countertransference issues both in and out of session
Who is this event for?
This course is designed for solo practitioners, group practice leaders, and group practice clinical staff members. It is also suitable for practices that consist of 100% in-person, 100% telehealth, or a mixture of in-person and telehealth treatment.
In-person Practices
Hybrid Practices
Teletherapy Only Practices
Topics covered:
Race: How do you show up with clients who identify similarly to you in terms of race (the way our society has framed it for us all)? What about when that is a difference between you? What do we know about the neuroscience around implicit bias?
Gender: How do you show up with clients who are the same gender, or different gender than you? How much might this affect the therapeutic alliance?
Religious and political beliefs: Do you struggle to sometimes find connection when you discover that your political beliefs are in conflict with your clients? As society becomes more divisive, you may find yourself reacting more strongly to your client’s values and beliefs. What about when your religious beliefs conflict? What sorts of value systems shape your worldview? And how does this worldview then shape the countertransference?
Thank you for the information and for making it so accessible. Somehow you take the driest material and make it fun and immediately relevant. You folks knock it out of the park!
Course Details
3 CE Credit Hour. Self-Study, On-Demand, Recorded Video Seminar CE training.
Title: The Ethics of Countertransference: Race, Gender, Religious and Political Beliefs
Authors/Presenters: Kirsten Lind Seal, PhD, LMFT
CE Length: 3 CE credit hours, legal-ethical
Legal-Ethical CE Hours: 3 legal-ethical CE credit hours
Educational objectives:
-
- Describe why understanding the connection between countertransference and race, gender, religious and political beliefs is crucial for ethical practice
- Recognize and name 3 possible consequences of countertransference
- Compare and contrast 3 methods of therapeutically and ethically addressing countertransference issues both in and out of session
- Create ongoing countertransference management plan and apply a deeper understanding of implicit bias to same
- Integrate relevant ethical principles and professional ethical codes into managing countertransference and self-disclosure
- Integrate a self-care plan into ongoing practice as a way to strengthen ability to skillfully manage political countertransference
Syllabus:
- Definitions
- Transference
- Countertransference
- Therapist self-disclosure/boundaries
- Race
- Implicit bias
- Neuroscience undergirding this concept
- Role in countertransference situations
- Steps for managing implicit bias
- Recommendations
- Possible CT reactions
- Gender fluidity
- CT reactions
- Ethical bracketing
- What we know from current research
- Most therapists deeply affected by the political climate
- Necessity of training and peer consultation
- Clients may welcome this discussion
- Similarities promote stronger therapeutic alliance (convergence of beliefs)
- Reasons to do TPSD
- Deepen alliance
- Flatten hierarchy
- Increase feelings of closeness
- Promotes social justice/especially within a multicultural orientation
- When there is a strong interpersonal alliance
- When there is convergence between client and therapist
- For a targeted clinical reason (working with shame, for example)
- Bearing witness to client’s distress
- Therapy as “shock absorber” (Goldsmith, 2020)
- Holding and containment (only when you feel strong enough to manage your own countertransference reactions properly)
- Is this discussion keeping us away from deeper and more important issues?
- Is this discussion a way for the therapist to get validation of their own beliefs?
- Will this discussion lead to the client wanting more self-disclosure of other aspects of the therapist’s life?
- Polarization pulls – victim and victimizer tendency
- Temptation to descend into numbness, disengagement or dissociation
- Divergence vs. convergence of political belief systems
- Find similarities in terms of values (i.e., per Braver Angels protocols)
- Be very aware of the countertransference
- Anger, irritation or contempt for others not believing as you do
- Work on self-regulation
- To be able to share differences in a non-defensive way if you feel drawn to do so
- Remember and work on feeling a sense of liking for your client (unconditional positive regard per Carl Rogers)
- Ramifications of not disclosing/Especially when your client is “curious” about your political stance
- Our own affect needs strong regulation
- Supportive internal self-talk in session
- Detach with love (from AlAnon) – agape love or, if not, then at least with neutrality
- Open letter to clients (per Bill Doherty) inviting discussion of the political landscape
- Language to use with clients with divergent political belief systems
- Go deep into what these beliefs mean for them in an ongoing relational way (what is going on for them that they need to engage in contentious political discourse at family events, for example?
- Self-care and connection rather than retreat and dissociation (Goldsmith, 2020)
- Definition/explanation
- Application to differing countertransference situations
- APA
- ACA
- NASW
- AAMFT
Meet Our Presenter
Presented by
Kirsten Lind Seal, PhD, LMFT
Kirsten Lind Seal, PhD, LMFT holds an MA in Counseling Psychology and a PhD in Couple and Family Therapy from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Lind Seal teaches Ethics at two universities and regularly conducts trainings on Ethics and Cross-Cultural issues at the local, national and international level. Her March 2024 PESI webinar has recently been translated into French and Italian.
She is currently Adjunct Associate Professor at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and Core Ethics Faculty (adjunct) at Chaminade University of Honolulu. She has extensive training in teaching and learning: at Saint Mary’s she was a Teaching Fellow (2013-2014), and she completed the Preparing Future Faculty Certificate Program at the University of Minnesota in 2014.
Dr. Lind Seal’s research has been published in Psychology Today, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy and Family Process. She has published several case studies and an Ethics-focused “In Consultation” piece in the Psychotherapy Networker and has reviewed for The Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy (UK). She is currently conducting a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning research project examining the impact of her Cultural Context Ethical Decision-Making model on graduate students’ cultural growth and ethical decision-making at Chaminade University of Honolulu.
Dr. Lind Seal’s professional memberships are with the Minnesota Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the New England Association for Family and Systemic Therapy, for which organizations she has created, presented and recorded numerous trainings and webinars on a variety of Ethical issues. She has been participating in ongoing monthly Anti-Racism groups through NEAFAST for the last four years.
She has a completely virtual private practice where she works with individuals, couples and family, and offers ethics consultations to colleagues. She has been interviewed as a content expert by MPR, CNN.com, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune and is in her tenth year as a regular on-air creator/contributor on Relationship Reboot, a weekly segment on relationships on WCCO TV’s Channel 4 (CBS Twin Cities).
Resources & Citations:
Ofer Zur’s website https://www.drzur.com/
Zur Institute https://www.zurinstitute.com/
Kenneth Pope’s website https://kspope.com/
PROQOL (Professional Quality of Life Scale) https://proqol.org/
Ten Percent Happier (meditation app and podcasts) https://www.tenpercent.com/
Kirsten Lind Seal’s website http://www.kirstenlindseal.com
Email [email protected]
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Accuracy, Utility, and Risks Statement:
- The speaker is not an attorney.
- None of the information or comments contained in this training should be construed to be legal advice.
- Remember that the majority of our practice is guided by state law and state laws vary widely .
- Legal situations are highly individualized, so please consult a lawyer licensed in your state and who has expertise in mental health issues
Conflicts of Interest: Financial Disclosures:
Financial:
- The speaker receives a fee for this webinar from Person Centered Tech.
- The speaker has an employment relationship with Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and Chaminade University of Honolulu.
- The speaker presents for PESI and Psychotherapy Networker where she receives a fee and royalties.
Non-financial:
- The speaker is a regular contributor/creator of Relationship Reboot segments for WCCO TV (CBS) Channel 4’s MidMorning show. Commercial Support: none.