On-Demand CE Training
ODL 413: Boundaries & Meaning: Ethical Decision-Making in Transference, Countertransference, and Gift-Giving
Please make sure to check with your own state board to ensure the transferability of CE credit for an asynchronous course. Some state boards may place restrictions regarding the modality of training required for ethics credits to be awarded. If this training indicates ethics credits are available, please verify that your state allows them to be earned through an on-demand course format.
Please note: This on-demand webinar is a replay of a live CE event. The format reflects the original presentation and may include live Q&A, transitions, and intermittent audio/visual fluctuations typical of a live recording.
6 CREDIT HOURS APPROVED FOR:
Social Workers
ASWB ACE – 6 Ethics Continuing Education credits
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work – 6 Contact hours
Psychologists
APA – 6 CE credits
Counselors 6 Contact hours or 6 Ethics Hours
NBCC ACEP – 6 Contact hours
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners – 6 Contact hours
Addiction Professionals
NAADAC – 6 Contact hours
Nurses
California Board of Registered Nursing – 6 Contact hours
Case Managers
CCMC – 6 Ethics CE Contact hours
* Some states do not require/accept ethics hours for counselors, for those cases contact hours will be awarded.
Created On: 5/18/26
Target Audience:
This course is targeted for social workers, psychologists, counselors, nurses and case managers.
Counselor Skill Groups:
4. Counseling Services
8. Legal, Ethical and Professional Development
Overview:
Transference, countertransference, and boundary decisions are natural elements of the therapeutic relationship, and can either deepen the work or create ethical risk if left unexamined. This full-day training helps clinicians recognize how transference and countertransference show up in therapy, how these unconscious dynamics influence clinical judgment, and how to stay “on track” while managing the therapist’s internal experience in ways that strengthen the therapeutic alliance.
The course then applies these concepts to a common boundary dilemma: gifts in therapy. Participants will explore the ethical complexities of giving and receiving gifts, including how to assess intent, timing, and meaning, and how cultural norms and relational dynamics shape these situations. Using ethical principles, best-practice decision-making strategies, and case examples, clinicians will build practical skills for navigating gift-related dilemmas with clarity, cultural responsiveness, and strong professional boundaries.
Course Objectives:
By the end of the session, the participant will be able to:
- Describe examples of transference and countertransference in therapy.
- Identify clinical practice situations that reflect transference and countertransference processes.
- Apply ethical and clinical recommendations for addressing and managing transference and countertransference processes.
- Identify ethical and therapeutic issues of gift giving and receiving in mental health practice.
- Explain at least three key ethical and practice considerations around gift giving in practice.
- Discover and consider variables related to culture, therapeutic relationships, and countertransference as they relate to gifts.
Presenter:
Diane Bigler, LCSW, LSCSW, owner of Diane Bigler Therapy Services, Inc.
Diane Bigler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Missouri and Kansas. She has over 20 years of experience in the social services field. Diane has held positions as a therapist (in-home and outpatient), private practice owner, trainer/facilitator, clinical supervisor, and professor of social work. She also has experience in corporate wellness training and coaching. Diane is most passionate about providing quality educational training to professionals. She enjoys spoiling her four dachshunds and anything 80s-related.