Unforeseen Implications of Regulation to Authenticity in Clinical Practice

The authors, both long-time LCSWs, utilize an existential framework and postmodern lens to explore the implications of increased professional regulation in clinical practice. Specifically emphasized, are the themes of litigation-fear and the threat of license revocation that are prevalent in the field of clinical social work at this time. The authors argue that this “climate of fear” can lead to a slippery slope for a profession that has long valued the individual’s right (both client’s and practitioner’s) to self-determination, authenticity, and creativity and call for an increased conversation among practitioners about the desired role of regulation in the profession with the overall goal of protecting a true understanding of ethics in social work.