Documenting Psychotherapy : Essentials for Mental Health Practitioners

This concise volume examines exactly what is involved in keeping adequate clinical records of individual, family, couple and group psychotherapy. The authors discuss: limits of confidentiality; retention and disposing of records; documentation of safety issues; client access to records; treatment of minors; and training and supervision issues. Throughout the book, legal cases, vignettes and professional commentary help readers to consider legal and ethical issues.

Avoid malpractice for keeping inadequate records and be prepared to respond to a professional peer review by using Documenting Psychotherapy, a practical volume that examines what is necessary in order to keep adequate records that meet current standards of care. This highly readable volume explores issues such as the limits of confidentiality, retention and disposition of records, documentation of safety issues, client access to records, treatment of minors, and the clinical record as it pertains to working with individuals, family couples and groups, as well as supervision and training issues are discussed in detail. Legal cases, vignettes and professional commentary are used throughout the book in order to help guide the reader in thinking through legal and ethical situations. Documenting Psychotherapy belongs on the book shelf of every mental health practitioner and will prove invaluable to professionals in clinical/counseling psychology, social work, psychology, interpersonal violence, and nursing.