Ethical Conundrums, Quandaries and Predicaments in Mental Health Practice A Casebook from the Files of Experts

s it ethical to treat a death row inmate only to stabilize him or her for eventual execution? What happens when a military provider receives highly sensitive intelligence from a client? How can clinicians refuse costly gifts from clients without damaging the therapeutic relationship? Should a therapist disclose a client's suicidal intent to the authorities? In Ethical Conundrums, Quandaries and Predicaments in Mental Health Practice , these and other real-life scenarios constitute a comprehensive and definitive ethics casebook for mental health professionals. Inspired by the many difficult situations they themselves have faced, an eminent group of accomplished mental health clinicians provide first-hand accounts of ethical problems that defy boilerplate solutions. Each chapter begins with a compelling and ethically complex case followed by an illustrative yet succinct analysis of the key ethical issues present and a personal reflection on the case itself, along with the process of ethical reasoning used to arrive at a final decision. Every case concludes with key recommendations for promoting ethical practice within an often challenging work setting. Highlighting the human aspect of ethics in mental health practice through the use of mesmerizing narratives while also provoking the reader to reflect upon what is the "right" thing to do, Ethical Conundrums, Quandaries and Predicaments in Mental Health Practice offers trainees and seasoned professionals alike invaluable informative models for dealing with ethical dilemmas, as well as the inspiration to confront seemingly insurmountable clinical problems.

W. Brad Johnson is Professor of Psychology at the United States Naval Academy and Faculty Associate in the Graduate School of Education at Johns Hopkins University. As a past chair of the American Psychological Association's Ethics Committee and a former Director of Research for George Fox University's Graduate School of Clinical Psychology, Johnson is a leading authority on ethical practice in clinical psychology, having authored many publications including 10 books in the area of mental health and counseling.

Gerald P. Koocher is Associate Provost and Professor of Psychology at Simmons College and a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Medical School. Having served as the President of the American Psychological Association (APA) and as the Chief Psychologist at Children's Hospital Boston, he has authored more than 200 articles and book chapters and authored or edited 15 books, including the paramount text in ethics and mental health, Ethics in Psychology and the Mental Health Professions: Professional Standards and Cases, now in its third edition.