M9: Beyond Compliance: DBT-Inspired Solutions for Ethical Practice

Grounded in the NASW Code of Ethics, this workshop explores how Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) principles enhance ethical decision-making, boundary-setting, and therapist accountability. Participants will examine how Consultation Agreements support ethical resilience, how the Middle Path informs boundary-setting in complex cases, and how DBT strategies like radical acceptance and validation prevent therapist burnout. Case studies will illustrate managing dual relationships, therapy-interfering behaviors (TIBs), and confidentiality challenges. Through interactive discussion, social workers will gain practical, DBT-based tools to strengthen ethical practice, enhancing client dignity, autonomy, and therapeutic effectiveness in alignment with NASW values.