Dangerous Clients & The Threat of Violence

About the Course:

There is a tendency for professionals to focus on legal standards for taking action. However, standards set out in case law, statute, and codes of ethics rarely address the complex situations we find ourselves in from time to time. The authors set out suggestions for what might be the best clinical response to situations of “creeping dangerousness” which are far more common than “duty to warn” situations. The central task in such situations is to prevent or
diffuse harm while not losing the working relationship with the client. The author makes concrete suggestions for handling such situations.

Publication Date:

Spring 2009

Course Material Author

Recommended For:

This basic-to-intermediate course material is designed for Licensed Professional Counselors, Social Workers, Psychologists, Chemical Dependency Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, Nurses, and other allied healthcare professionals who are likely to gain professionally from increased knowledge in the areas of ethics and the management of violence threats in a therapeutic relationships.

Course Objectives:

1. Implement the best clinical response to the common situations of “creeping dangerousness” from a client.

2. Identify and consider options that are usually the best route for the
   appropriate handling of a volatile situation.