Confidentiality in Psychology
-By Timothy Lyons
One of the foundations of treatment for any person is that they can rely on the counselor in areas of confidentiality. That the therapist must not discuss their case with anyone unless certain criteria or events happen is important. (American Psychological Association, 2010) (Liang, Davis, Arnold, & Benjamin, 2013) I know from personal experience that if I am going to tell someone my innermost problems the last thing I want them to do is to tell others.
The most important and valuable tool that any therapist has is that of the therapeutic relationship. This means trust, value, understanding empathy and clear communication. In order to have these, the client must be sure that they can dig deep and discuss all of their problems with the knowledge that those things will be kept private.
Confidentiality
In this discussion it is important to note that confidentiality also has its own boundaries. The idea of a cornerstone is that it is the very foundation of something. One of the ethics principles is Nonmaleficence. This is more than just an ideal it is a necessary part of therapy. In ensuring that there is no harm, there may be times that a therapist needs to break confidentiality. At the onset of the therapeutic relationship these limits are discussed. It gives the client a clear understanding of what types of things can be discussed safely without worry that they might not remain confidential.
In any case the idea that one can safely discuss their issues while understanding that those issues will not go beyond the therapy sessions without their consent is a huge factor that allows a person to get help from a psychologist. Therefore, confidentiality psychology is the cornerstone upon which the therapeutic relationship is to be built. It allows the therapist to give reassurance to the client so they can understand their rights and how much and what they can discuss.
References
American Psychological Association. (2010). Ethical Principals of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2003 ed.). Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Knapp, S., Younggren, J. N., VandeCreek, L., Harris, E., & Martin, J. N. (2013). Assessing and managing risk in psychological practice: An indivicualized approach (2nd ed.). Rockviller, MD: The Trust.
LexisNexis. (2015). California Board of Psychology Laws and Regulations (2015 ed.). Charlottesville, VA: LexisNexis.
Liang, L. T., Davis, A. S., Arnold, T. A., & Benjamin, A. (2013). Ethics for Psychologist: A Casebook Approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Consumer Resources- Patient Bill of Rights – California Psychological Association. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2016, from http://www.cpapsych.org/?52