Practicum and Ethics: The High Road to Professionalism

Practicum and Ethics: The High Road to Professionalism equips students with the skills necessary to successfully navigate their practicum and internship experiences in the helping professions while upholding the highest ethical standards and exploring their vocational calling.

The book guides readers through each stage of the process, beginning with advice on setting up a practicum or internship experience and navigating its complexities to mastering lay counseling skills while in the field and ending with considerations on professional vocation. Ethical principles and essential considerations for professional practice are integrated throughout the text, addressing critical topics such as cultural competence, avoiding burnout, establishing boundaries, building resilience, and making a difference. The book outlines theoretical frameworks, emphasizes ethical focus points, and provides readers with professional insights to enrich the reading experience and reinforce key learnings.

Featuring learning outcomes aligned to the practicum/internship experience per NCFR, including the CFLE certification, Practicum and Ethics is ideal for courses and programs in family science, human development, psychology, and social work, especially those with emphasis on ethical behavior, cultural competence, and career planning.

Clara Gerhardt, M.B.A., Ph.D. is a Distinguished Professor at Samford University, in recognition of a lifetime of service and professional contributions to the family sciences, nationally and internationally. She is also the Scholar in Residence for Character Education, which ties in with her expertise in ethics. Dr. Gerhardt is a licensed clinical psychologist and a licensed marriage and family therapist. Her many publications include the textbook Families in Motion: Dynamics in Diverse Contexts, as well as numerous book chapters and entries to encyclopedias. She is the product of three continents and speaks five languages fluently.