MFT LAW AND ETHICS EXAM 2025 WITH
ACTUAL CORRECT QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED DETAILED ANSWERS
|FREQUENTLY TESTED QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS |ALREADY GRADED A+|NEWEST
|LATEST UPDATE |GUARANTEED PASS
A therapist has been seeing a 17-year-old girl for panic attacks who consented for her own
treatment because her parents were against therapy. After four sessions the client emails the
therapist and informs her that she told her parents about therapy and they no longer want her
to attend because they think she doesn't need it. The therapist responds that she thinks the
client could still benefit from treatment and she hopes she reconsiders. The client does not
respond. How should the therapist manage the ethical obligations in this case?
Response:
A. Provide client with three referrals.
B. Call client to discuss the need for therapy over the phone.
Should have chosen
C. Document the reason for termination in the client's record.
D. Provide client with alternative treatment options for panic disorder.
C...Rationale: The therapist has already reached out via email. At this point, the therapist
should respect the client's decision and document termination - answer D. The client initiated
termination so the therapist does not need to provide three referrals.
A therapist in a family service agency is working with an 8-year-old girl who discloses in session
that she was sexually molested by an older boy at school. As she is talking, the therapist realizes
that the boy is in a therapy group that she facilitates at the school. The therapist should NEXT:
Response:
A. Obtain more specific details about the abuse.
B. Question the other client about the allegation after the next group.
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,C. Report the abuse to the appropriate authorities.
D. Contact the school principal to report the abuse.
C...Rationale: Answer C is correct. There is enough for reasonable suspicion so a report is
required.
During a session, a client informs the therapist that she is concerned for her neighbor who has
been behaving strangely since his wife died. The client explains that her neighbor, an elderly
man in his 70s, has been doing yard work naked. In addition, the client informs the therapist
that she has seen the man foraging in the trash cans and running through the streets shouting
profanities. How should the therapist proceed?
Response:
A. Maintain client's confidentiality.
B. Encourage the client to make a report to adult protective services.
C. Request client signs a release prior to contacting adult protective services.D. Explain that the
therapist must file a report to adult protective services.
D...Rationale: This qualifies as self-neglect and thus warrants a mandated report to adult
protective services so D is the best answer.
A 25 year-old-woman is in treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder following a discharge
from a psychiatric hospital due to a suicide attempt. The client has a severe trauma history and
a deep fear of abandonment. After five months of treatment the client shares that she is dating
someone special and wants the therapist to see them for couples therapy to make sure the
relationship works out. Offering concurrent couples therapy to this client would be:
Response:
A. Ethical as long as the risk and benefits are reviews.
B. Ethical as long as the expectations of couples therapy are addressed.
C. Unethical because concurrent couples therapy is never acceptable.
Should have chosen
D. Unethical because it is clinically inappropriate with this client.
D...Rationale: The best answer is D. Ethically you need to consider impact of seeing a client in
multiple treatment units and you should only do so if it would not be harmful to client. A
client with Borderline Personality Disorder and issues with abandonment would not be a
client that should also be seen for couple's therapy because in couple's therapy the therapist
needs to be neutral to the individuals in the relationship and that could easily trigger this type
of client.
2|Page
,A 54-year-old woman seeks therapy for depression. She shares that her 82-year-old mother
with dementia moved in with her three months ago and she feels overwhelmed taking care of
her. The woman reports, "Sometimes I just leave the house all day, because I can't deal with all
her neediness. She's like a whiney baby." What should the therapist do NEXT?
Response:
A. Refer client to a psychiatrist for medication evaluation.
B. File an elder abuse report.
C. Determine who is caring for her mother when client is gone all day.
D. Refer client to respite care services.
C.Rationale: There is not enough to file an elder abuse report because there may be someone
else caring for the mother while she is out. C is the best answer because it furthers the
assessment. Answers A and D could be done at some point.
A therapist meets with a 45-year-old client who has a history of being violent for an intake
assessment. During the intake assessment, the client states that his wife claims to have been
visiting family for the past week but he believes she is lying to him. When probed further, he
says that he thinks she is actually having an affair with someone. The client says that he plans on
hurting her when she gets home so that she doesn't do this again. What action must the
therapist take to fulfill legal obligations in this case?
Response:
A. Suggest other ways to deal with his anger.
B. Determine the level of pathological paranoia in the client.
C. Inform the police of his statement.
D. Discuss the reasons for his suspicions to help the client with reality testing.
C...Rationale: This would trigger a duty to warn which requires the therapist to contact local
police and inform them of the client's statement and history of violence. Answers A, B, and D
could also be interventions that could be done but C is legally required.
A client mentions she has been having a difficult time with anxiety and depression since she
began a lawsuit against the company that fired her. She discussed feeling anxious about how
they will treat her as a witness in the trial and who else they may end up wanting to bring into
the court for the case. The therapist was subpoenaed by the client's opposing lawyer. The
therapist should legally respond by:
Response:
A. Asserting privilege.
B. Consulting with a lawyer regarding the subpoena.
3|Page
, C. Turning over the client's record and whatever else is required within the subpoena.
D. Maintaining confidentiality.
A...Rationale: The best answer is A. There is no option of informing the client, so the best
thing to do would be to assert privilege.
An 84-year-old client calls her therapist because she cannot make it to the session. She has been
financially and physically dependent upon her daughter who moved out unexpectedly last
week. Which of the following actions must the therapist take to assist the client?
Response:
A. Determine alternative support person(s).
B. Refer the client to a social services support agency.
Should have chosen
C. Report possible elder abuse to the appropriate authorities.
D. Offer to see the client in her home.
C...Rationale: This qualifies as abandonment and would require a report so C is the best
answer. A, B, and D are all things that could be done at some point but C must be done.
A therapist has been seeing a client for over a year. The client is a sales rep for a major hotel
company and travels a lot for work, but always makes time for ongoing therapy focused on her
depression and anxiety around being single. During the holiday season, the client gave the
therapist a card before leaving for a holiday vacation. In the card was a gift certificate for a
weekend stay at the same hotel chain in town including meals. The card said, "Happy Holidays,
enjoy some relaxation with my free perks." How should the therapist ethically respond:
Response:
A. Call the client thanking her for the card and gift and ask her the best way to schedule the
reservation.
B. Wait until the next session to politely decline the gift and discuss the reasons but also her
reaction to that announcement.
C. Call the hotel and ask the monetary value of the gift before reserving the room or not using
it.
D. Consult with a collea
B...Rationale: This is an extravagant gift, even if the client got it for free. The best answer is B -
decline gift and discuss with client. There is no need to consult.
A 14-year old comes to therapy telling her therapist she is pregnant with her 17-year-old
boyfriend's baby. She is not sure how many months she is. She is scared to tell her parents but is
excited about it bringing her closer to her boyfriend. What action should the therapist take to
manage the legal and ethical issues?
4|Page
ACTUAL CORRECT QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED DETAILED ANSWERS
|FREQUENTLY TESTED QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS |ALREADY GRADED A+|NEWEST
|LATEST UPDATE |GUARANTEED PASS
A therapist has been seeing a 17-year-old girl for panic attacks who consented for her own
treatment because her parents were against therapy. After four sessions the client emails the
therapist and informs her that she told her parents about therapy and they no longer want her
to attend because they think she doesn't need it. The therapist responds that she thinks the
client could still benefit from treatment and she hopes she reconsiders. The client does not
respond. How should the therapist manage the ethical obligations in this case?
Response:
A. Provide client with three referrals.
B. Call client to discuss the need for therapy over the phone.
Should have chosen
C. Document the reason for termination in the client's record.
D. Provide client with alternative treatment options for panic disorder.
C...Rationale: The therapist has already reached out via email. At this point, the therapist
should respect the client's decision and document termination - answer D. The client initiated
termination so the therapist does not need to provide three referrals.
A therapist in a family service agency is working with an 8-year-old girl who discloses in session
that she was sexually molested by an older boy at school. As she is talking, the therapist realizes
that the boy is in a therapy group that she facilitates at the school. The therapist should NEXT:
Response:
A. Obtain more specific details about the abuse.
B. Question the other client about the allegation after the next group.
1|Page
,C. Report the abuse to the appropriate authorities.
D. Contact the school principal to report the abuse.
C...Rationale: Answer C is correct. There is enough for reasonable suspicion so a report is
required.
During a session, a client informs the therapist that she is concerned for her neighbor who has
been behaving strangely since his wife died. The client explains that her neighbor, an elderly
man in his 70s, has been doing yard work naked. In addition, the client informs the therapist
that she has seen the man foraging in the trash cans and running through the streets shouting
profanities. How should the therapist proceed?
Response:
A. Maintain client's confidentiality.
B. Encourage the client to make a report to adult protective services.
C. Request client signs a release prior to contacting adult protective services.D. Explain that the
therapist must file a report to adult protective services.
D...Rationale: This qualifies as self-neglect and thus warrants a mandated report to adult
protective services so D is the best answer.
A 25 year-old-woman is in treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder following a discharge
from a psychiatric hospital due to a suicide attempt. The client has a severe trauma history and
a deep fear of abandonment. After five months of treatment the client shares that she is dating
someone special and wants the therapist to see them for couples therapy to make sure the
relationship works out. Offering concurrent couples therapy to this client would be:
Response:
A. Ethical as long as the risk and benefits are reviews.
B. Ethical as long as the expectations of couples therapy are addressed.
C. Unethical because concurrent couples therapy is never acceptable.
Should have chosen
D. Unethical because it is clinically inappropriate with this client.
D...Rationale: The best answer is D. Ethically you need to consider impact of seeing a client in
multiple treatment units and you should only do so if it would not be harmful to client. A
client with Borderline Personality Disorder and issues with abandonment would not be a
client that should also be seen for couple's therapy because in couple's therapy the therapist
needs to be neutral to the individuals in the relationship and that could easily trigger this type
of client.
2|Page
,A 54-year-old woman seeks therapy for depression. She shares that her 82-year-old mother
with dementia moved in with her three months ago and she feels overwhelmed taking care of
her. The woman reports, "Sometimes I just leave the house all day, because I can't deal with all
her neediness. She's like a whiney baby." What should the therapist do NEXT?
Response:
A. Refer client to a psychiatrist for medication evaluation.
B. File an elder abuse report.
C. Determine who is caring for her mother when client is gone all day.
D. Refer client to respite care services.
C.Rationale: There is not enough to file an elder abuse report because there may be someone
else caring for the mother while she is out. C is the best answer because it furthers the
assessment. Answers A and D could be done at some point.
A therapist meets with a 45-year-old client who has a history of being violent for an intake
assessment. During the intake assessment, the client states that his wife claims to have been
visiting family for the past week but he believes she is lying to him. When probed further, he
says that he thinks she is actually having an affair with someone. The client says that he plans on
hurting her when she gets home so that she doesn't do this again. What action must the
therapist take to fulfill legal obligations in this case?
Response:
A. Suggest other ways to deal with his anger.
B. Determine the level of pathological paranoia in the client.
C. Inform the police of his statement.
D. Discuss the reasons for his suspicions to help the client with reality testing.
C...Rationale: This would trigger a duty to warn which requires the therapist to contact local
police and inform them of the client's statement and history of violence. Answers A, B, and D
could also be interventions that could be done but C is legally required.
A client mentions she has been having a difficult time with anxiety and depression since she
began a lawsuit against the company that fired her. She discussed feeling anxious about how
they will treat her as a witness in the trial and who else they may end up wanting to bring into
the court for the case. The therapist was subpoenaed by the client's opposing lawyer. The
therapist should legally respond by:
Response:
A. Asserting privilege.
B. Consulting with a lawyer regarding the subpoena.
3|Page
, C. Turning over the client's record and whatever else is required within the subpoena.
D. Maintaining confidentiality.
A...Rationale: The best answer is A. There is no option of informing the client, so the best
thing to do would be to assert privilege.
An 84-year-old client calls her therapist because she cannot make it to the session. She has been
financially and physically dependent upon her daughter who moved out unexpectedly last
week. Which of the following actions must the therapist take to assist the client?
Response:
A. Determine alternative support person(s).
B. Refer the client to a social services support agency.
Should have chosen
C. Report possible elder abuse to the appropriate authorities.
D. Offer to see the client in her home.
C...Rationale: This qualifies as abandonment and would require a report so C is the best
answer. A, B, and D are all things that could be done at some point but C must be done.
A therapist has been seeing a client for over a year. The client is a sales rep for a major hotel
company and travels a lot for work, but always makes time for ongoing therapy focused on her
depression and anxiety around being single. During the holiday season, the client gave the
therapist a card before leaving for a holiday vacation. In the card was a gift certificate for a
weekend stay at the same hotel chain in town including meals. The card said, "Happy Holidays,
enjoy some relaxation with my free perks." How should the therapist ethically respond:
Response:
A. Call the client thanking her for the card and gift and ask her the best way to schedule the
reservation.
B. Wait until the next session to politely decline the gift and discuss the reasons but also her
reaction to that announcement.
C. Call the hotel and ask the monetary value of the gift before reserving the room or not using
it.
D. Consult with a collea
B...Rationale: This is an extravagant gift, even if the client got it for free. The best answer is B -
decline gift and discuss with client. There is no need to consult.
A 14-year old comes to therapy telling her therapist she is pregnant with her 17-year-old
boyfriend's baby. She is not sure how many months she is. She is scared to tell her parents but is
excited about it bringing her closer to her boyfriend. What action should the therapist take to
manage the legal and ethical issues?
4|Page
