Ethics & law
The reasoning, not the rules
Every genuine dilemma is a conflict between principles rather than between right and wrong. What is defensible is not reaching the right answer — often there is not one — but reasoning systematically, consulting, and being able to explain yourself to someone who disagrees.
8 topics
The framework
The standing obligations
Confidentiality and its limits
The promise that makes therapy possible, and the exceptions that must be stated before they arise.
Duty to warn and duty to protect
Tarasoff, and why what it requires depends entirely on where you practise.
Competence and scope of practice
The most commonly breached ethical standard, and the least often noticed.
Records: what to write and who will read them
Write for the colleague covering next week, the auditor, and the patient.
The relationship itself
The documents
Every ethically load-bearing form, with the reasoning attached.