GUEST LECTURES
Pro bono guest lectures for college and university classrooms.
ETHICS, BOUNDARIES &
PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY
A real-world conversation about what happens when ethical boundaries are crossed—and how to prevent it.
Several years ago, my clinical license (LCSW) was suspended for five years following an unethical romantic relationship with a former client that began very soon after therapy ended. I’m not proud of that sentence. It was a serious violation of professional ethics, and I take full responsibility for it.
As part of my commitment to accountability and education, I now offer classroom guest lectures to help the next generation of helping professionals explore the real-world dynamic that can lead to ethical boundary violations—and how to prevent them.
I offer this talk to deepen students’ understanding of how ethical violations can occur in real-world clinical practice—even among the most well-intentioned providers.
These lectures are offered at no cost for undergraduate and graduate-level college and university classroom settings, and programs preparing students for practice.
While most students are taught what the ethical codes say and learn about ethics as a set of guidelines, they’re rarely given the opportunity to explore the complexity of how or why good clinicians can lose sight of them.
My goal in visiting classrooms is to add something that most academic settings and textbooks cannot: context, humanity, human complexity, and lived experience. Not as an excuse, but as a mirror—so students can begin to examine their own capacity for risk, reflect on the importance of self-awareness, and understand the very real responsibility that comes from this work before entering the field.
This talk invites students to consider the internal, relational, and systemic factors that can contribute to ethical erosion—long before a line is actually crossed—and provide a grounded, reflective case example that encourages critical thinking, self-awareness, and professional vigilance.
Stress, isolation, blurred lines, and unexamined vulnerability can all create conditions where poor decisions become more likely.
My goal is to help students and future helping professionals move beyond “I would never” thinking, and into real reflection:
➝ How do I stay alert to my blind spots?
➝ What patterns or circumstances could affect my judgement?
➝ How do I protect my clients—and myself—by standing grounded and accountable?
If you're looking to bridge the gap between the textbook and a rarely shared real-world example, I’d love the opportunity to speak to your students.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Honest reflection on how it unfolded.
A candid, firsthand account of my professional ethical violation.
Discussion of transference, boundaries, and professional responsibility.
An emphasis on ethics, self-awareness, and prevention.
Space for student Q&A, thoughtful dialogue, and safe self-reflection.
The goal is not to sensationalize or shame—but to humanize the complexities of this work, invite critical thinking, and make room for honest reflection before students enter the field.
WHO THIS IS FOR
I currently offer these guest lectures to undergraduate and graduate-level college programs in:
Counseling
Social Work
Law, Ethics, Leadership, Human Services, and others as requested
Psychology
AVAILABILITY
Pro bono in-person lectures available within approximately 1 hour of Pittsburgh, PA.
Pro bono virtual presentations available nationwide.
Travel-based lectures available with discussion of travel costs.
PLEASE NOTE: This no cost offering is intended for classroom-based lectures. Larger speaking engagements, series, or conferences are available but will be subject to standard speaking fees.