Psychology and the Law for the Helping Professions - Hardcover

Swenson, Leland C.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 053418846X ISBN 13: 9780534188467

Publisher: Brooks Cole, 1993

Synopsis

This comprehensive introduction to law-related issues for mental health professionals covers a wide range of legal topics including criminal and family law. It provides more information on the influence of rules (both ethical and legal) on psychologists identity and behavior than most psychology or law texts provide. .As a teacher of courses in psychology and law, law, and ethics and psychology, the author found that existing texts did not adequately provide the information his students needed. His unique background of practicing divorce mediation and family law, teaching law and ethics workshops for psychological professionals, conducting psychological research on court-ordered mediation, and authoring books and various publications brings an innovative perspective to the book..Coverage of legal and ethical issues directly affecting those in the helping professions includes information on suits against psychotherapists, licensing laws, the mental health professional as an expert witness, and high risk situations for potential malpractice liability. Other high interest topics include the rights and treatment of the homeless, divorce and custody matters, and the issues of involuntary confinement, insanity pleas, child molestation, and sex between therapists and clients.

About this title

About the Author:

J.D., Loyola Law School, Ph.D., Wayne State University

Review:

"The legal rules that have been imposed on mental health professionals are potentially dangerous to these practitioners. Mental health professionals need to know where the mines are and, just as importantly, where the safe paths are. . . . My goal is to make the rules explicit so that professionals will have more real freedom in their choices. Real choice means knowing the consequences likely to follow different courses of actions. . . . We can travel through a minefield if we have a map of the mines' locations. But if we only know that there are mines somewhere, we are likely to unnecessarily inhibit our opportunities."

About this edition

• Publisher: Brooks Cole
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 053418846X
• ISBN 13: 9780534188467
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 400