California Law and Ethics Practice Exam

What is a potential challenge therapists may face when working with treatment units?

1. Unit members sharing information freely with the therapist

2. All members wanting to terminate therapy at the same time

3. Individual members seeking therapy separately and confidentiality

4. Establishing trust among all unit members

The correct answer is: Individual members seeking therapy separately and confidentiality

The correct answer focuses on the challenges related to individual members wanting to seek therapy separately and maintaining confidentiality. In treatment units, which often involve multiple clients working together in a therapeutic setting, individual privacy can become complicated. Therapists must navigate the delicate balance of providing therapy that respects each individual’s need for confidentiality, while also considering the dynamic of the group as a whole. When individual members seek separate therapy sessions, it raises concerns about how to manage and protect their private disclosures, which could impact the group dynamics. Confidentiality is a core ethical principle in therapy, and when individuals pursue separate sessions outside the unit, it can lead to conflicts about what information can be shared, both within the unit and to the therapist. This challenge can affect the therapeutic alliance among group members and the effectiveness of the group treatment process. The other options highlight issues that, while relevant, do not encapsulate the same level of potential ethical challenge as confidentiality and individual therapy needs. For example, unit members sharing information freely may indicate a positive group dynamic rather than a challenge, and the willingness of all members to terminate therapy simultaneously poses logistical issues but is not inherently linked to ethical concerns like confidentiality. Establishing trust among all unit members is important but is a factor that can lead to smoother