Saying Yes to a New Client: Ethics of Specialization & Scope of Practice

Selecting the right clients is not just about matching specialties—it’s about ensuring the safety and well-being of those who seek our care. One of the greatest responsibilities of any mental health professional is ensuring that new clients receive the care they truly deserve. Yet, the decision to say “yes” can be clouded by powerful emotional triggers and even financial pressures that tempt us to stretch beyond our true competence. This workshop, “Saying Yes to a New Client: Ethics of Specialization and Scope of Practice,” is designed to help mental health providers navigate these challenging dynamics. Participants will learn how to align their scope of practice with client needs, employ structured ethical decision-making models, and navigate the emotional triggers that can cloud professional judgment. We’ll explore how factors like empathy, countertransference, and the lure of financial gain can sometimes push clinicians to take on clients whose needs exceed their professional scope, potentially compromising client well-being and the clinician’s ethical standards. Through interactive case studies, role-play scenarios, and reflective exercises, participants will learn to identify and manage these emotional triggers while grounding their decisions in structured ethical frameworks. By exploring what it looks like to prioritize client welfare and professional integrity, participants will leave equipped to make informed, compassionate choices that protect clients and uphold the clinician’s professional integrity. Participants will have the knowledge and skills to foster a practice that values ethical diligence and safeguards client well-being.

Workshop Objectives

1. Identify Ethical Principles and Codes: Participants will be able to articulate the core ethical principles (competence, nonmaleficence, beneficence, autonomy, fidelity) relevant to accepting new clients.
2. Differentiate Scope of Practice from Scope of Competence: Participants will be able to define these terms clearly and recognize when a prospective client’s needs exceed their current capabilities.
3. Recognize Emotional Influences: Participants will learn to identify personal emotional triggers and biases (e.g., over-identification, fear of incompetence) that may impact ethical decision-making.
4. Apply an Ethical Decision-Making Model: Participants will demonstrate the ability to use a structured model to determine whether to accept a client or refer them out, with a focus on ethical and professional standards.
5. Develop Strategies for Ongoing Competence: Participants will create a personalized plan to seek supervision, continuing education, and consultation to maintain or expand their scope of competence ethically.

Our Presenter

Janeen Olmos, LCPC, LCAC, and SATP, is a licensed therapist specializing in sex and love addiction, codependency, and substance use addiction. With over a decade of experience, she helps individuals and couples heal from destructive relational patterns, betrayal trauma, and attachment wounds. Licensed in Kansas as both a Clinical Professional Counselor and a Clinical Addiction Counselor, Janeen holds a Master of Arts in Counseling and a Sex Addiction Therapy Provider (SATP) certification from MidAmerica Nazarene University

Janeen developed this ethical training inspired by her own experiences of grappling with when to say “yes” or “no” to client requests. Recognizing the importance of exploring these boundary dilemmas ethically, she created this training to help fellow professionals navigate complex moral gray areas with confidence and integrity. Drawing on her extensive clinical background, Janeen empowers therapists to uphold the highest standards of compassionate care, ensuring that they can serve clients effectively while honoring their own well-being. Through her multifaceted contributions, she remains devoted to uplifting individuals, couples, and the broader therapeutic community.

Venue

This workshop will be hosted in-person at The LightHouse at Colonial Presbyterian Church's Overland Park Campus (12501 W 137th St, Overland Park, KS 66221). The LightHouse is located behind the main church building.

Materials

Any workshop materials will be emailed to participants prior to the workshop using the email address provided during registration.

Continuing Education Credits

Participants can earn up to 3 hours of continuing education credits in ethics upon completion of the workshop. Certificates of Completion will be provided following the event to everyone who attends the full workshop.

Cost and Registration

The cost for this workshop is $75.

Please note we will be unable to issue any refunds after March 28, 2025. Any refunds will be issued minus Eventbrite's fees.

This workshop is prepared and presented in accordance with Kansas and Missouri licensing and continuing education requirements.

Event Venue

12501 W 137th St, 12501 West 137th Street, Overland Park, United States