Complete Applications of Law and Ethics for California Marriage and Family Therapists" (5TH Edition, © 2004), Is Rapidly Becoming Californias Standard As An Academic Resource Among Major Universities.

"Complete Applications of Law and Ethics for California Marriage and Family Therapists" (5th Edition, © 2004), by Federico C. Grosso, DDS, PhD, MFT, BCFE, is rapidly becoming the academic standard accross California among major universtities teaching future students how to become licensed marriage and family therapists. - The book is based on Dr. Grosso's successful experience as a forensic expert witness in malpractice actions involving marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, and drug and alcohold counselors. It addresses a myriad of clinical applications of law and ethics of importance to these clinicians.

Santa Barbara, CA (PRWEB) November 12, 2004 -- Federico C. Grosso, DDS, PhD, MFT, BCFE reported in a recent interview that his book titled Complete Applications of Law and Ethics for California Marriage and Family Therapists" (5th Edition, © 2004) is now being used by the major universities and training programs for California marriage and family therapists. Many university professors have lauded this book as being the best and most thorough book available that addresses the unique and complex clinical challenges faced by marriage and family therapists in psychotherapy practice. California universities, including Cal State Fullerton, Cal State San Bernardino, Loma Linda University, Azusa Pacific University, Argosy University, Chapman University, Santa Barbara Graduate Institute, and many others have adopted this text for their students when teaching the applications of law and ethics at the masters level.

Dr. Grosso based this book on his successful practice and experience as a forensic expert witness in cases involving marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, and drug and alcohol counselors. When he initially began teaching this subject at several universities, he found that the books available were insufficient to teach students the appropriate applications of law and ethics, which would allow them to be reasonable and prudent clinicians. Eventually, he decided to publish his own text and now, he is currently working on the sixth edition, which is due to come out in mid 2005. Each edition continues to address new arenas of practice as he encounters these in his forensic practice. Dr. Grosso has made the following comment about his expert witness practice: This is where I learn how to create safety by learning from the mistakes of omission and commission made by well-intentioned clinicians who ended up hurting clients. I hope new clinicians will learn from these clinical errors."

The book begins by inviting the student to explore his or her Internal Reality," which Dr. Grosso describes as being that internal construct where the future clinician hold his or her beliefs and values, personal experiences, biases, etc. It is from this internal construct that the future clinician attempt to maintain clinical objectivity as he or she makes decisions that will impact the client, hopefully for the better. Dr. Grosso is convinced that if the clinician is not aware of his or her Internal Reality," he or she will have a difficult time maintaining clinical objectivity and may end up making clinical decisions that may not be in the best interest of the client.

The next foundational chapter addresses the legal and ethical therapeutic duty each California mental health clinician has of obtaining informed consent from the client before any treatment begins. Dr. Grosso identifies this as foundational because he describes how informed consent lays down a structure of safety for the client, the clinician, and for their therapeutic relationship. By providing the client with adequate information regarding the risks and benefits of the proposed treatment, how the clinician will manage confidentiality when faced with mandated reporting of child/elder/dependent abuse, how the clinician will manage clinical emergencies such as suicide, and how the clinician will end treatment in a safe manner should the client prove to be uncooperative with treatment, both client and clinician can hold each other accountable during this challenging process we know as psychotherapy. Other significant chapters address the management of crisis issues, which can be problematic for the clinician if he or she fails in his therapeutic duty of assessing, diagnosing, and treating the client according to the standard of care throughout the duration of treatment. Dr. Grosso also addresses how to keep appropriate mental health records and how to write these records in a manner that supports the therapeutic duty previously stated. The book ends with a clinical discussion of all ethical standards applicable to California marriage and family therapists.

This book is available directly from http://www.fgrosso.com. Universities and bookstores can call Dr. Grosso directly to obtain further information on bulk orders and shipping costs.

Background on FGrosso.com. FGrosso.com provides mental health clinicians with practical and easy-to-use clinical resources including practice enhancement workbooks, online and self-study continuing education, software, consultation as an expert witness, lectures, and academic publications. Dr. Grosso also provides expert witness services in malpractice actions involving marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, alcohol and drug abuse counselors, certified addictions treatment specialists, and dentists accused of child abuse when providing treatment in the dental office. He also lectures for and consults with mental health organizations. He is an official lecturer on law and ethics and other subjects for the California Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

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