Confidentiality Obligation Paper

As a counselor, the clients that come to receive services will generally be experiencing a tough time in in their lives. The intent of a counselor should be to see them through this time and help them overcome the hardship. A majority of the information they share will be not only be expected, but required to stay confidential. Summers (2014), informs her readers that “confidentiality is both an ethical principle and a legal right” (p. 47). Many individuals feel a sense of comfort knowing that the information they share with counselors will remain between them. Without this, many clients would potentially not feel comfortable enough to share some of the intense personal feelings or experiences they are dealing with.

According to the American Counseling Association (ACA, 2014) Code of Ethics, ethical principles are based on a set of values that include autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity, and veracity. These ethics apply to all types of counseling including both group and individual therapy; however, different aspects of these ethical guidelines must be considered based on the therapeutic approach. This paper will identify several of these ethical issues as they relate specifically to group counseling, while also evaluating how these differences compare to ethical guidelines within an individual approach. Based on this information, a final analysis will be provided on when therapists should choose group versus individual for a client.

The American Counseling Association (ACA) is an organization that has a set of ethical guidelines that they make available to counselors in hopes of helping to eliminate or correct any ethical dilemmas. The ACA come out with the ACA Code of Ethics (2005). These guidelines go into detail explaining different features of counseling from confidentiality to training and research to resolving ethical issues that come up. In section B.4 of the ACA Code of Ethics (2005) it talks about detailed areas that need to be taken into contemplation in group and family therapy. Section B.4.A dives further into group therapy; stating that counselors need to be able to openly explain parameters and also the importance of

“Confidentiality is a professional’s promise or contract to respect clients’ privacy by not disclosing anything revealed during counseling, except under agreed upon conditions.”

Ethical codes have been developed so that therapists understand the standards for appropriate behavior and maintaining the welfare of the client. All mental health professionals should be proficient in the acknowledgment of any Code of Ethics as they serve as legal guidelines when ethically questionable circumstances arise. Essential to the principles of counseling, a client’s confidentiality is imperative as a therapist is the receiver of an individual’s thoughts and ideas surrounding the concerns for seeking treatment. Item 2.1 in the AAMFT Code of Ethics states how a therapist would disclose and limits of confidentiality, and in what circumstances that a client’s information would be requested. Additionally, item 2.2 is the

Essay 1: When is therapist self-disclosure “okay” in group counseling? How would it be used? Elaborate.

Confidentiality derives from the word confidence which is the mental attitude of believing in or trusting someone or something. While the term confidential indicates privacy (Shorter Oxford English Dictionary). In the profession of counselling, confidentiality has long been a cornerstone. It is a means of giving your client privacy to protect their identity while also insuring that the contents of their session will not be exposed. It is the “secret-keeping” duty that emerges from the professional relationship counselors establish with their clients (Younggren & Harris, 2008). In fact, the 2014 American Counseling Association code of ethics devotes an entire section (Section B) to the standards of confidentiality, it is an ethical obligation

Confidentiality is an important part within the counseling relationship and environment. Discussed content between the client and therapist is strictly prohibited for others outside of this relationship to disclose. Materials such as an informed consent form, explains how confidential information, will be managed. For the counseling profession, this document involves and agrees that communication is kept in confidence by the counselor and private. The communication that is discussed cannot be used as evidence in court, by state and federal law. However, there are

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Confidentiality: Confidentiality is a core ethical requirement regarding information shared between the counselee and the counselor. Counseles can be assured that information shared in sessions will be held to the strictest confidence; however, counselees must be made aware that there are instances where the counselor is required to break confidentiality.  Information shared by the counselee regarding actual or threatened harm to self or others must be reported to the proper authorities.

Introducing the limits of confidentiality in simple language that a client can understand is the first step in establishing the therapeutic relationship. ?Confidently should be explained to all potential clients with the general understanding that any information gained from the counseling relationship is kept confidential. They must also share that there are limitations when it comes to safety concerns. Examples of these limitations would be if the professional has a concern that the clients are at a risk of harming themself, someone else, or if they are posing a risk to the counselor. There are additional reasons why a counselor will have to break confidentiality in cases when there is a confession that is ordered by the court or requested by the client. They may also need to release records in a situation where a client has filed a complaint towards their counselor (Martin, Shepard & Lehr, 2015).

Counselors communicate the parameters of confidentiality in a culturally competent manner” (American Counseling Association , 2014). Once a client trust is gained, it is the therapist obligation to make sure that the client’s confidentiality is within the code of ethics. Because Dr. Lyne is discussing therapeutic issues via email he should take the proper steps to assure himself of all possible issues.

Corey & Corey (2006) state that counselors need to have a “thorough grounding in ethical issues is as essential as a solid base of psychological knowledge and skills” (p. 64). They found that groups have been responsible in bring about change in the members and that the profession of mental acknowledged its effectiveness late in the counseling profession. According to Markus and King (2003) they found that group therapy has been seem effective treatment modality for some psychological and psychiatric disorders and issues. Professional organizations have seen the importance in developing ethical standards for counselor who will provide group psychotherapy due to the group may experience different ethical issues than individual therapy. Fallon (2006) found that there are two areas that need to be addressed, the group’s rights and what the responsibilities for the group leader. Kocet (2006) states that for a counselor to be effective they need to have a solid

Based on the scenario, I would choose not to mention anything about my husband’s boss to him. I would however speak to the concerns my husband may have about leaving his job. This is due to the fact we cannot function on one income alone. While listening to the reasons he may have about leaving his job I would remain objective due to my knowledge of seeing the medical records of his boss. I know because of the HIPPA Act of 1996, by sharing the information about his boss, I am now placing myself in violation.

Confidentiality is an important aspect to consider helping individuals through difficult times. Counselors must develop a relationship for collaborative intervention can contribute to higher quality of individual care when physical, emotional, and spiritual issues are treated together (Howard and Cox, 2008, p. 342).