Resources for Therapists

Tools

Podcasts

The Trauma Therapist Project: When Something Happens to You
Practice of Practice podcast: Professional Wills/Practice Executors on Practice of the Practice
The Art of the Referral: Till Death Do Us Refer: the importance of a Professional Will
The Practice of Therapy: Preparing for the Worst: Professional Wills in Private Practice
Therapy Reimagined: Planning for Death and Incapacitation: What Therapists Need to Do
The Modern Therapist's Survival Guide: Planning for Death or Incapacitation – What Therapists Need to Do
The Ideal Practice: I Had No Idea How Important a Professional Will Was - And Then I Met Robyn Miller

Workshops/Trainings

Workshop for Los Angeles Psychological Association: Let’s Face It Together: Professional Wills Matter
Training for Maryland Psychological Association : Professional Wills and the Role of Practice Executor: Clinical, Practical, and Emotional Considerations
CE Webinar for The Trust Insurance (3/27/25): Guidelines and Pitfalls Regarding Professional Wills and Practice Executors: How to Meet Your Ethical Obligations to Plan for the Unexpected
CE Training for Northern Virginia Clinical Psychologists (3/14/25): Professional Wills and the Practice Executor Role: Clinical, Business, and Emotional Considerations

Papers

Authored by Robyn Miller

Paper in Psychoanalytic Perspectives: A Psychodynamic Psychotherapist Dies: Grief and Dismantling a Practice as Professional Executor
Paper for Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy: Psychotherapist Professional Wills: Easy to Avoid, Crucial to Address
Paper in Independent Practitioner: The Dilemma of the Professional Will: A Preliminary Survey and a Solution

Others

American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct (2002, amended effective June1, 2010, and January 1, 2017). http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.html
Association of State andProvincial Psychology Boards (2020). Guidelines for closing a psychologicalpractice.https://asppb.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/asppb_guidelines_for_closing.pdf
Barnett, J.E. (2019). The Ethical Practice ofPsychotherapy: Clearly within our reach. Psychotherapy, 56(4), 431-440. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000272.
Barnett, J. E., Knapp, S., Handelsman, M. M., &Kastenberg, J. E. (2024). Key issues and recommendations for ethical andeffective endings in psychotherapy. Professional Psychology, Research andPractice, 55(2), 129–139. https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000566
Becher, E., Ogasawara, T., & Harris, S. M. (2012).Death of a Clinician: The personal, practical and clinical implications oftherapist mortality. Contemporary Family Therapy, 34(3), 313–321.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-012-9181-y
Beder, J. (2003). Picking Up the Pieces After theSudden Death of a Therapist: Issues for the Client and the “InheritingTherapist.” Clinical Social Work Journal, 31(1), 25–36.https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1021410501036
Bennett-Carpenter, B. (2014). Facing up:psychotherapists writing about dealing with the idea of one’s own death. Mortality,19(4), 361–378. https://doi.org/10.1080/13576275.2014.943169
Cohen, J. (2022). Mental health professionalspreparing for cognitive decline and death: Denial and action. ProfessionalPsychology, Research and Practice, 53(5), 530–540.https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000446
Da Silva, A. N., Ferreira, J. F., Conceição, N.,Velho, C. V., & Vasco, A. B. (2022). Termination in psychotherapy:Contributions of an integrative metamodel. Journal of PsychotherapyIntegration, 32(2), 175–189. https://doi.org/10.1037/int0000235
Guide to making a therapist’s professional will.(n.d.).https://kspope.com/therapistas/will.php
Hackett, M. (2019) Planning for our death/incapacitation as therapists. Irish Journal of Counselling andPsychotherapy. 19(3) 23-28.
Lustgarten, S.D., Sinnard, M. T., & Elchert, D. M. (2020). Data after death: Recordkeeping considerations for unexpected departures of mental health providers. ProfessionalPsychology, Research and Practice, 51(4), 362–370.https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000334
Marmarosh, C. L. (2017). Fostering engagement duringtermination: Applying attachment theory and research. Psychotherapy, 54(1),4–9. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000087
O’Donnell, M. M. (2006). Sudden unexpected death ofthe therapist: Reconciling ethical and clinical concerns for providingcontinuing care. Graduate Student Journal of Psychology, 8,45–49. https://doi.org/10.52214/gsjp.v8i.10806
Pope, K. S.,Vasquez, M. J. T., Chavez-Dueñas, N. Y., & Adames, H. Y. (2021). Ethicsin psychotherapy and counseling: A practical guide (6th ed.). Wiley.
Pope, K. S.(n.d.). Guide to making a therapist's professional will. Retrieved from https://kspope.com/therapistas/will.php
San Diego Psychological Association. (n.d.).Guidelines for preparing your professional will. In San Diego PsychologicalAssociation.https://sdpsych.org/resources/Documents/Preparing%20Your%20Professional%20Will.pdf
Schwartz‐Mette, R. A., & Rowan, C. B. (2024).Ethical considerations for complex termination. Practice Innovations.https://doi.org/10.1037/pri0000235
Scroppo, J. (2020). What mental health professionalsneed to know and do about their professional retirement. PracticeInnovations, 5(2), 81–91. https://doi.org/10.1037/pri0000114
Steiner, A. (n.d.). What is a professionalwill? Why every therapist needs one. Psychotherapy Tools. https://www.psychotherapytools.com/profwill_what.html
Steiner, A. (2011). TheTherapist's Professional Will: A Backup Plan Every Clinician Needs. Group.35. 33-40.
Swift Yasgur, B. (2021). Creating a professional will to ensurecontinuity of care after your demise. Haymarket Media. https://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/features/creating-a-professional-will-to-ensure-continuity-of-care-after-your-demise/

‍