CE Course - Notes That Heal, Not Harm: Ethical Session Documentation

Learn ethical note writing to protect vulnerable clients while meeting legal and clinical standards in today’s political climate.

In today’s climate, what you write can be used for, or against, your clients.

With increasing legal and political threats to trans clients, clients considering abortions, and undocumented clients, mental health professionals must navigate documentation with greater care than ever before. This 1-hour continuing education training equips you with the skills to ethically write clinical notes that protect client privacy while meeting legal, ethical, and insurance requirements.

Led by Dr. Raquel Martin, licensed clinical psychologist, professor, and nationally recognized mental health expert, this training blends ethics, practical strategies, and real-world case examples to help you document in ways that reduce risk for your clients and yourself.

You Will Learn How To:

• Recognize the risks of over-documentation when working with vulnerable populations.
• Apply ethical codes and laws to guide protective note writing.
• Use minimal and precise language without compromising clinical care.
• Revise existing notes to safeguard client confidentiality.
• Respond ethically to subpoenas and requests for client records.

Who Should Attend:

• Licensed mental health professionals (psychologists, social workers, counselors, marriage & family therapists)
• Clinical supervisors
• Graduate students in mental health fields preparing for licensure

Tangible Takeaways:

Participants will receive:

• 1 CE Credit
• A Protective Note Writing Checklist
• Three Before & After Sample Notes for high-risk scenarios
• A Client Consent Script for discussing documentation limits

Learning Objectives (CE Compliant):

By the end of the training, participants will be able to:

1. Identify at least three risks of over-documentation when working with vulnerable populations.
2. Apply at least two ethical principles to guide protective note writing.
3. Demonstrate how to revise a clinical note to protect client safety while meeting clinical, ethical, and legal requirements.