ethical and effective managed-care-free psychotherapy practice and is a prolific writer and researcher. He co-edited the landmark book, Dual Relationships and Psychotherapy, authored the “mighty useful” HIPAA Compliance Kit and The Complete Fee- for-Service Private Practice Handbook, and has published dozens of cutting-edge and widely cited articles and book chapters on therapeutic ethics, standard of care, boundaries and dual relationships. His book, Boundaries In Psychotherapy, the most comprehensive book on therapeutic boundaries to date, was published in 2007 by, no other than, American Psychological Association, APA Books. Dr. Zur is the director of the Zur Institute, which offers over 130 unique and innovative online continuing education courses to psychologists, social workers, and counselors. He is one of the most prominent consultants and forensic experts in the area of therapeutic boundaries. On the personal front, Dr. Zur has challenged many physical, emotional and existential boundaries when he worked as a deep-sea diver, served as lieutenant and paratrooper in the Israeli army, summated Mt. Kilimanjaro with his son, and much more. Ofer Zur 
Conducting Therapy in the Digital Age
July 30-August 3, 2012
This course is about therapeutic boundaries and ethical and clinical considerations in the age of Google, Facebook and tele-health. Note: This course is also for technologically challenged therapists. You do not need to be tech-savvy to take this course.
In this unique, cutting edge, highly interactive, multi media seminar, Dr. Zur will review cutting edge clinical and ethical complexities that clinicians face in the 21st century. We will start by reviewing traditional boundaries, such as touch, gifts, self-disclosure, bartering, home office, therapy outside the office, and dual relationships. Then we will discuss how the Internet and computers have affected the way parents and children, teachers and students, bosses and employees, as well as how therapists and clients interact, relate, and get informed about each other in and outside the consulting room. It will cover issues, such as online transparency, emails and texting between therapists and clients, clients Googling therapists, therapists Googling clients, and how to respond to clients “Friend requests” on Facebook.
The seminar will also explore the psychology of the web and discuss the emerging field of Psychology of the Internet. It will explain the growing tension between digital immigrants (older generations) and digital natives (younger generations) and how use of the Internet affects families, schools, work-place, and psychotherapy and counseling. Dr. Zur will introduce the current most exciting and challenging issues that face practitioners around the issues of using texts, apps, e-mails, and Skype to communicate and treat their clients. He will also review the evolving standard of care and provide guidelines for Office Policies, Informed Consent and ethical ways for record keeping of emails, texts and social networking communications.
Monday
Psychology of the Web -- On Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives: How modern technologies effect relationships between the generations at home, work, school and in therapy. The ways that the Internet has changed how we think, feel, interact, play, learn, meet, and “do sex”, will be reviewed.
Tuesday
Boundaries in Psychotherapy & Counseling: We will review the clinical and ethical complexities involved with traditional boundaries, such as touch, gifts, bartering, home visits, self-disclosure, therapy outside the office and home office situations.
Wednesday
Digital Ethics: We will cover issues, such as online transparency, emails and texting between therapists and clients, clients Googling therapists, therapists Googling clients, and how to respond to clients “Friend requests” on Facebook.
Thursday
Telehealth, TeleMentalHealth, E-Counseling, or E-Therapy: The emerging field of telehealth will be reviewed. We will address concerns with treating clients across state lines, use of Skype or 2nd Life, apps in therapy, etc.
Friday
Practicing Ethically and Safely in the 21st Century: On this last day we will integrate the learning for the week and learn about ways to practice ethical risk management and ethical decision-making.
