I am an Attorney and Clinical Social Worker (LCSW in LA) who defends mental health professionals in Louisiana and Colorado when they have received a Grievance (CO) or Complaint (LA). At present, I am only offering clinical services (psychotherapy) in Louisiana via teletherapy, but have a wild hair about starting a Life Planning Coaching biz here in Massachusetts where I now live.
Also, I provide risk prevention legal / clinical consultation for mental health professionals around the country. Often, when a clinician has a high-risk client/situation, or has received a subpoena, clinicians contact me for legal / ethical / clinical consultation. Often, we can assess the risk and develop a plan for managing it without the consultee receiving a Complaint / Grievance. That is my goal!!
So, if you are looking for a lawyer to consult about a high-risk case or subpoena, or to defend you in a licensing board matter, I have the necessary experience and love helping people resolve their problems in whatever arena they arise. from my clinical experience of the last 30 years, I understand quite well what it’s like to manage a clinical practice and deal with high-risk situations or legal involvement.
Additionally, I have served as an Expert Witness / Mental Health Consultant for lawyers around the country who are involved with mental health malpractice litigation. I can review depositions to assist with litigation strategy and/or help the litigator create excellent questions for the mental health deponent. I am willing to testify, if necessary, but often I write up an expert report, which the attorney uses as part of the settlement negotiation.
Finally, I offer webinars around the country and write a Mental Health Newsletter every couple months to help prepare clinicians to handle the stresses of our increasingly litigious society. The webinars are usually entitled something like “Self-Protective, Ethical Management of High-Risk Clinical Practice and Legal Involvement”; I always invite participants to submit their own clinical / ethical dilemmas for discussion during the training. Participants enjoy the opportunity to learn key elements of balancing risks and to brainstorm pragmatic approaches to high-risk situations. For more information about my training services, please visit www.beyond-ethics.com and feel free to contact me to schedule individual or group consultations.
