October 2014

Some state laws or regulations dealing with scope of practice/scope of license, privilege, insurance reimbursement, or some other topic may define the word “psychotherapy.” I have shared this definition before, but for new readers I posit the following for your consideration (and your sense of humor): “Psychotherapy” is an unidentified technique, applied to unspecified circumstances, with unpredictable outcomes – requiring rigorous training. I do not take credit for this provocative thought – credit belongs to Professor Daniel Hogan, who in 1979 wrote a multiple volume work examining the regulation of psychotherapists.

Download PDF

About the Author

Avatar photo

Richard Leslie

Richard S. Leslie is an attorney and acknowledged expert on the interrelationship between law and the practice of marriage and family therapy and psychotherapy. Most recently, he was a consultant to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and has written articles regarding legal and ethical issues for their Family Therapy Magazine. Prior to his work with AAMFT, Richard was Legal Counsel to the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) for approximately twenty-two years. While there, he also served as their director of Government Relations and tirelessly advocated for due process and fairness for licensees and applicants.

Learn more about Richard Leslie