The Balancing Act of Dr. Melfi and Tony Soprano: Walking the Tightrope of Ethical Clinical Practice
In the popular HBO series “The Sopranos,” mob boss Tony Soprano suffers from depression and anxiety and seeks out psychotherapy from Dr. Melfi. What ensues is a fascinating study in their therapuetic alliance replete with deviations in the standard of care, boundary violations, breaches in confidentiality, transference and counter-transference and other issues that test the limits of ethical practice. In this interactive workshop, participants will have the opportunity to process a variety of film clips from “The Sopranos,” exploring the ethical issues that arise, while simultaneously using the NASW Code of Ethics and COMAR rulings to assess for deviations in the standard of care. Common ethical concerns related to conflict of interest, use of self-disclosure, limit-setting and the testing of boundaries, clinical decisions that undermine efficacy and objectivity, as well as appropriate guidelines for termination will be explored.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify common ethical concerns as they relate to boundaries, general conduct and confidentiality.
2.Provide three examples of how counter-transference creates deviations in the standard of care as outlined by COMAR and the NASW Code of Ethics. - Describe at least five ways in which clients’ transferential responses test the limits of ethical practice.
- Identify ethical guidelines for appropriate termination.
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