Description

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more embedded in educational and professional contexts, counselors and counselors-in-training must engage with these tools ethically and within established boundaries. This session presents an ethics-first framework, emphasizing that AI may support learning and reflection but does not replace clinical judgment or expand a counselor’s scope of practice. Using the guiding metaphor of “AI in the room,” participants will examine how AI can influence decision-making, confidentiality, professional identity, and client welfare. Grounded in the NBCC Code of Ethics (2023) and ACA guidance, the session introduces foundational AI concepts and common tools encountered in counselor education, practice, and supervision. Participants will learn to apply core ethical principles to evaluate AI use and determine appropriate versus inappropriate applications, leaving with a practical framework that safeguards client welfare while maintaining professional accountability and counselor identity.

What You Will Learn

Upon successful completion of this activity, attendees should be able to:

Define artificial intelligence and describe its use in academic and counseling settings.
Identify ethical considerations of AI use, including confidentiality, competence, and professional judgment, in alignment with ACA and NBCC standards.
Explain the impact of AI on counseling practice, education, and supervision, and evaluate appropriate vs. inappropriate AI use.

Speaker Bio

Tara Matthews, PhD, LPC, MAC

Dr. Tara Matthews serves as an Associate Professor in the School of Counseling at Walden University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) supervisor and a Master Addiction Counselor. She earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Capella University in 2015 and has worked in the counseling field since 2004. Her clinical experience encompasses work with diverse populations, with a concentration in the treatment of co-occurring disorders. Since 2008, she has taught in higher education and continues to provide clinical supervision in Virginia. As artificial intelligence continues to shape the counseling landscape, she approaches its use with curiosity, openness, and careful attention to ethical and professional boundaries. Dr. Matthews is a Certified Mental Health & Nutrition Clinical Specialist (CMNCS), a Certified Mindfulness Informed Professional, and holds certificates in Integrative Nutrition Health Coaching, Primordial Sound Meditation, and Ayurvedic Health & Lifestyle Teaching. Her relational engagement blends ancient healing wisdom, creative technology, and humor with evidence-based practices to support holistic well-being. Currently, the second edition of her textbook, Co-occurring Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders: Evidence-Based Integrative Treatment and Multicultural Applications, is in press.

Sophie Oswin, PhD, LPC (GA), LPCC (CA), NCC, ACS, BC-TMH

Dr. Sophie Lake Oswin is an Associate Professor in the School of Counseling at Walden University. She completed her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Walden University in 2023 and is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in California and Georgia. She is also a National Certified Counselor (NCC), an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), and a Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH). In addition to her academic role, she is the owner of Journey to Equanimity Counseling and Consulting, LLC, where she provides clinical counseling and consultation. Dr. Oswin’s work focuses on professional ethics, counselor education, and the integration of emerging and innovative approaches in counseling practice. Her research and professional interests include psychedelics in the treatment of depression and trauma, virtual and augmented realities in counseling, and suicide prevention training for master's-level counseling students.

Accreditation

Walden University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 4546. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Walden University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Successful completion of this resource provides 1.0 NBCC clock hours; partial credit will not be offered.

ACEP contact information:

100 Washington Ave. S Suite 1210, Minneapolis MN, 55401
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.waldenu.edu

$0.00

How To Enroll?

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Professional Development
All Level
1.0 NBCC Hour
Estimated 1.0-Hour Workload
Accessible for 180 days

How to enroll?

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Questions? Please contact [email protected]

WNBC1063 - AI for Professional Counselors: Ethical Foundations for Practice, Training, and Decision-Making