ARTI Code Of Conduct

Australia Resource Therapy Institute Code Of Conduct

For Resource Therapy Students, Practitioners, Trainers, Supervisors, And Members

This Code of Conduct sets out the professional, ethical, and practice standards expected of those associated with Australia Resource Therapy Institute. It is designed to support public safety, professional clarity, training integrity, and responsible Resource Therapy practice.

1. Purpose Of This Code

The Australia Resource Therapy Institute Code of Conduct sets out the professional, ethical, and practice standards expected of students, practitioners, trainers, supervisors, and members associated with Australia Resource Therapy Institute.

This Code exists to:

protect clients, students, supervisees, and the public
support ethical and competent Resource Therapy practice
clarify professional expectations for training and clinical application
ensure Resource Therapy is taught and practised within the appropriate scope
support compliance with relevant Australian health, privacy, advertising, complaints, and professional conduct requirements

This Code is not a replacement for Australian law, professional registration requirements, employment obligations, or the ethical codes of a practitioner’s primary profession. Where a practitioner is registered with AHPRA or another professional body, that practitioner must comply with their own regulatory and professional standards in addition to this Code.

2. Scope Of This Code

This Code applies to:

students enrolled in Australia Resource Therapy Institute training
graduates of Australia Resource Therapy Institute programs
Resource Therapy practitioners using Resource Therapy in clinical or professional practice
Resource Therapy trainers, supervisors, assistants, and consultants
members or affiliates who represent Australia Resource Therapy Institute in any professional setting

This Code applies across all settings, including face-to-face clinical practice, online therapy or supervision, group training, demonstrations and roleplays, supervision and consultation, and public education through websites, podcasts, webinars, social media, or similar platforms.

3. Relationship With Australian Codes And Laws

All ARTI students, practitioners, and trainers must practise in accordance with the laws and professional standards relevant to their jurisdiction, qualification, and registration status.

This may include, but is not limited to:

The Psychology Board of Australia Code of Conduct, where the practitioner is a psychologist
AHPRA standards and advertising requirements, where relevant
The National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers
State and territory health complaints legislation
privacy, confidentiality, child protection, mandatory reporting, and record-keeping obligations
professional indemnity and public liability insurance requirements
the ethical standards of the practitioner’s own profession or professional association

Where there is any conflict between this Code and the law, the law takes precedence.

4. Safe, Ethical, And Respectful Practice

ARTI practitioners and students must provide services in a safe, ethical, respectful, and professional manner.

Practitioners must:

place client welfare and public safety first
work within their training, qualifications, competence, and professional scope
Use Resource Therapy in a way that is trauma-informed, attachment-informed, culturally respectful, and clinically responsible
avoid exploiting clients, students, supervisees, colleagues, or vulnerable persons
maintain appropriate therapeutic and professional boundaries
treat all people with dignity, fairness, and respect
avoid discrimination, harassment, coercion, bullying, or intimidation
recognise the inherent power imbalance in therapy, training, supervision, and mentoring relationships

Resource Therapy must never be used to manipulate, shame, pressure, control, or disempower a client or student.

5. Scope Of Practice And Competence

ARTI students and practitioners must only offer Resource Therapy interventions appropriate to their level of training, clinical background, supervision, and professional competence.

Practitioners must not:

claim to be qualified beyond their actual level of training
present attendance at an introductory workshop as full clinical competence
use advanced techniques without appropriate training and supervision
treat presentations outside their professional scope
imply that Resource Therapy replaces medical, psychiatric, psychological, or allied health care
work with high-risk clients without appropriate qualifications, supports, referral pathways, and supervision

Students and practitioners must seek supervision, consultation, or referral when client needs exceed their competence or professional role.

6. Informed Consent

Clients must be given clear information before Resource Therapy is used. Consent must be ongoing, not assumed.

This may include:

The nature and purpose of Resource Therapy
the practitioner’s qualifications and level of Resource Therapy training
expected benefits and possible emotional discomfort
confidentiality and its legal limits
fees, cancellations, and session structure
record-keeping processes
alternatives to Resource Therapy
the client’s right to pause, ask questions, refuse, or withdraw consent

Where a client is a minor, has impaired decision-making capacity, or requires a guardian or substitute decision-maker, the practitioner must follow relevant legal and professional consent requirements.

7. Trauma-Informed Resource Therapy Practice

Because Resource Therapy often works with emotional states, trauma memories, attachment wounds, dissociation, shame, fear, rejection, confusion, grief, anger, and protective responses, practitioners must work carefully and ethically.

Practitioners must:

pace interventions according to client readiness
avoid unnecessary emotional flooding
monitor signs of overwhelm, dissociation, or destabilization
maintain a clear therapeutic frame
use grounding, stabilization, and resourcing where needed
avoid leading, suggestive, or coercive questioning
avoid making assumptions about memory, trauma, diagnosis, or causation
support client autonomy and choice throughout the process

Resource Therapy should be presented as a structured therapeutic method, not as a guaranteed cure or as evidence of any specific past event.

8. Medical, Psychiatric, And Risk Considerations

ARTI practitioners must not discourage clients from seeking, continuing, or following appropriate medical, psychiatric, psychological, or allied health care.

Practitioners must refer, consult, or coordinate care when required, particularly when there are concerns about:

suicide or self-harm risk
family violence or coercive control
child protection concerns
psychosis or mania
severe dissociation or destabilization
substance dependence
complex trauma requiring specialist care
medical symptoms requiring assessment
eating disorders or other high-risk presentations

Resource Therapy practitioners must act promptly and appropriately in response to risk, adverse events, deterioration, or safety concerns.

9. Confidentiality And Privacy

Practitioners must protect the confidentiality of clients, students, and supervisees.

Information may only be disclosed:

with informed consent
where required by law
where necessary to prevent serious risk of harm
for supervision or consultation, using de-identified information wherever possible
in accordance with privacy legislation and professional obligations

Practitioners must store, manage, and dispose of records securely. Client stories, case material, training examples, testimonials, recordings, and images must not be used publicly without clear, informed, written consent.

10. Records And Documentation

Practitioners must keep accurate, appropriate, timely, and secure records consistent with their profession, legal requirements, and practice setting.

Records may include:

client details and consent
presenting concerns
session notes
Resource Therapy interventions used
risk considerations
referrals or consultation
treatment planning
supervision notes, where relevant

Records must be factual, respectful, clinically relevant, and stored securely.

11. Professional Boundaries

ARTI practitioners, trainers, and supervisors must maintain clear professional boundaries.

They must not:

engage in sexual or romantic relationships with current clients, students, supervisees, or trainees
exploit emotional, financial, educational, or professional dependency
Use the therapeutic or training relationship for personal gain
blur roles in ways that may cause harm
pressure students or clients into personal disclosure beyond what is clinically or educationally appropriate
misuse authority, status, or influence

Any dual relationship must be carefully considered, documented where appropriate, and managed in line with the practitioner’s professional obligations.

12. Financial Integrity

Practitioners and trainers must be transparent and fair in all financial arrangements. This includes:

clearly stating fees before services begin
providing cancellation and refund policies
avoiding financial exploitation
not pressuring clients or students into unnecessary services
not offering misleading incentives, inducements, or guarantees
keeping business practices consistent with consumer law and professional ethics

13. Advertising, Public Claims, And Use of ARTI Branding

All advertising must be truthful, responsible, and not misleading.

ARTI students, practitioners, and trainers must not:

claim outcomes that cannot be guaranteed
imply Resource Therapy cures serious illness, trauma, depression, anxiety, pain, or other conditions
misrepresent their qualifications or level of training
Use ARTI logos, seals, or wording in a way that falsely implies endorsement, certification, or trainer status
imply they are an ARTI-approved trainer unless formally authorised by ARTI
use testimonials in a way that breaches AHPRA, advertising, or privacy obligations
criticise or disparage other modalities or professionals in a misleading or unprofessional way

Practitioners may accurately describe only their Resource Therapy training level. Suggested wording includes: “Trained In Resource Therapy”, “Foundation Certificate In Resource Therapy”, “Clinical Resource Therapist”, “Advanced Clinical Resource Therapy Practitioner”, and “Resource Therapy Trainer” only where formally authorized.

14. Training Conduct

Students attending ARTI training must participate respectfully and responsibly.

Students must:

Maintain confidentiality regarding personal material shared in training
treat roleplays and demonstrations as confidential learning experiences
Avoid using training groups as personal therapy
Seek support if emotionally activated during training
participate within their scope and comfort zone
respect trainers, assistants, peers, and venue requirements
Avoid recording training unless explicit permission has been granted

ARTI trainers must provide a safe, structured, respectful, and clinically responsible learning environment.

15. Supervision And Continuing Professional Development

Resource Therapy practitioners are encouraged to maintain ongoing learning, supervision, and reflective practice.

Practitioners must seek supervision or consultation when:

working with complex trauma
working with dissociation
working with high-risk presentations
using advanced Resource Therapy interventions
experiencing uncertainty about diagnosis, scope, risk, or treatment direction
Personal reactions may affect practice

Practitioners should maintain current knowledge in Resource Therapy, trauma-informed practice, ethics, consent, risk management, diversity, and professional boundaries.

16. Cultural Safety, Diversity, And Inclusion

ARTI practitioners must respect the cultural, social, spiritual, gender, neurodivergent, relational, and personal identities of clients and students.

Practitioners must:

practice with humility and respect
avoid imposing personal beliefs
be attentive to power, privilege, and difference
seek consultation when cultural or identity factors require additional competence
support client autonomy and dignity

Resource Therapy must be adapted respectfully to the person, not imposed as a rigid model.

17. Online Practice and Digital Conduct

When providing online therapy, supervision, training, or public education, practitioners must maintain the same ethical standards as in-person.

This includes:

privacy and confidentiality
secure platforms where appropriate
Informed consent for online work
emergency and risk procedures
clear communication about the limitations of online services
professional behaviour on social media
careful separation of personal and professional online presence

Practitioners must not discuss identifiable client or student material online.

18. Complaints, Concerns, And Professional Accountability

ARTI expects concerns to be handled respectfully, fairly, and promptly. Where appropriate, concerns may first be addressed directly and informally. Serious concerns involving safety, exploitation, boundary violations, risk, misconduct, or legal obligations should be escalated immediately to the relevant professional body, regulator, complaints authority, employer, or legal process.

ARTI may review concerns about conduct connected with ARTI training, certification, supervision, membership, or public representation. Possible responses may include:

clarification or education
supervision or mentoring requirement
written warning
removal from training
suspension or withdrawal of ARTI recognition
referral to a relevant complaints body or regulator
refusal of future training or trainer status

ARTI will not override mandatory reporting, AHPRA, health complaints, child protection, criminal, privacy, or workplace obligations.

19. Insurance

Practitioners using Resource Therapy in clinical practice must maintain appropriate professional indemnity and public liability insurance for their jurisdiction, profession, and services.

Students and early-career practitioners must ensure they understand whether their current insurance covers Resource Therapy practice, student practice, online work, group work, supervision, or training demonstrations.

20. Breach Of This Code

A breach of this Code may occur where a student, practitioner, trainer, supervisor, or member:

acts outside their scope of practice
misrepresents training or competence
breaches confidentiality
exploits a client, student, or supervisee
engages in sexual misconduct or boundary violations
makes misleading public claims
fails to respond appropriately to risk
brings Resource Therapy or ARTI into disrepute
fails to comply with relevant legal, regulatory, or professional requirements

ARTI reserves the right to take appropriate action to protect the public, students, clients, the profession, and the integrity of Resource Therapy.

21. Commitment Statement

All ARTI students, practitioners, trainers, supervisors, and members are expected to uphold this Code in spirit and practice.

Resource Therapy is a powerful, respectful, and structured parts-based therapy. It must be practiced with humility, clinical care, ethical clarity, and deep respect for the people who seek our help.

Australia Resource Therapy Institute is committed to promoting safe, ethical, attachment-informed, trauma-aware, and professionally responsible Resource Therapy practice.

Note

Australia Resource Therapy Institute requires all students, practitioners, trainers, and supervisors to comply with the ARTI Code of Conduct, relevant Australian health complaints legislation, privacy and consent requirements, professional indemnity requirements, and the ethical standards of their primary professional discipline.

Registered health practitioners must comply with their relevant AHPRA National Board standards, including the Psychology Board of Australia Code of Conduct where applicable.

Non-registered practitioners, and registered practitioners working outside their registered scope, are expected to comply with the National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers and applicable state or territory health complaints requirements.

Additional Requirements for Students New to Mental Health Practice

Students entering Resource Therapy as a second-career pathway, or without prior mental health, counselling, psychotherapy, psychology, social work, medical, or allied health training, must not present themselves as clinical Resource Therapy practitioners until they have completed appropriate foundational training, supervision, ethical practice preparation, and scope-of-practice review.

These students are required to:

clearly identify their current professional background
work only within their lawful and insured scope
avoid treating high-risk or complex mental health presentations unless appropriately qualified
complete additional training in ethics, consent, boundaries, trauma-informed practice, risk recognition, referral pathways, and record keeping
seek regular supervision from an appropriately qualified professional
Refer clients to registered health practitioners where the client’s needs exceed their competence

Review And Adoption

This Code should be reviewed regularly and updated as professional standards, health complaints frameworks, privacy obligations, insurance requirements, and Resource Therapy training pathways evolve.

Approval Record

Approved By	Philipa Thornton
Role	Director
Date Adopted	1 April 2026
Next Review Date	1 April 2027