The Ethics of Client Onboarding, Retention, and Discharge
Ethical practice in counseling doesn’t begin at the first session—or end at the last. Decisions around client onboarding, retention, and discharge carry significant ethical weight and can directly impact client welfare, professional integrity, and long-term outcomes.
The Ethics of Client Onboarding, Retention, and Discharge is an on-demand CE course designed to help clinicians thoughtfully navigate these critical phases of the therapeutic relationship while keeping ethics, compassion, and client well-being at the forefront.
This course examines common ethical pitfalls that arise in client recruitment, maintaining caseloads, and ending services. You’ll explore how seemingly routine business or clinical decisions can unintentionally cross ethical boundaries—and learn practical strategies to avoid harm while upholding professional standards.
Grounded in real-world clinical scenarios, this training supports clinicians in making clear, defensible, and ethically sound decisions throughout the entire client lifecycle.
What You’ll Learn
In this course, participants will:
Identify common ethical violations related to client onboarding, retention, and discharge
Analyze the impact of unethical recruitment and retention practices on clients and the profession
Apply strategies for ethical, compassionate discharge and referral
Strengthen ethical decision-making when balancing caseload demands and client welfare
Who This Course Is For
✔ Therapists and counselors in private practice or agency settings
✔ Clinicians managing full or growing caseloads
✔ Professionals seeking relevant, real-world ethics CEs
✔ Providers navigating intake, referral, and termination decisions
No advanced ethics specialization required.
✅ 1.5 NBCC-Approved CE Hours
✅ 100% Online & Self-Paced
✅ Instant Certificate Upon Completion
Why Take Ethics Courses with Empower Continuing Education?
Empower Continuing Education courses are designed to go beyond compliance. Each training blends ethical clarity with practical application—helping clinicians strengthen judgment, reduce risk, and deliver care that aligns with both professional codes and personal values.
MAKE IT COUNT.
Your Clients. Your Career. Your Terms.
Your career deserves more than just checking a licensure box. Empower Continuing Education courses are designed to help you grow with confidence, clarity, and purpose. Each NBCC-approved training provides practical tools, fresh perspectives, and real-world strategies you can apply immediately—supporting not only your professional development, but your long-term fulfillment and impact as a clinician, leader, and changemaker.
