Therapist Self-Disclosure In Group Counseling

The effects that counselor self-disclosure can have on group members and the appropriateness of when to use self disclosure will be explained in this paper. The author will discuss the ethical dilemmas that may arise when counselors divulge too much information, as well as a discussion of what the client's perceptions may be of such disclosure and the positive and negative effects that this may have on therapy.

Confidentiality is one of the most important aspects when working with clientele. Our text defines confidentiality as, “rooted in a client’s right to privacy, is at the core of effective therapy. “(Corey et al. 2014). Anna Martin describes confidentiality in a little more detail by stating that, “patient confidentiality means maintaining private information about a client, and ensuring that no unauthorized person has access to this” (2017).As an individual working within a helping profession, one of the main goals to hold should be to keep clients protected and have their best interest in mind. Although keeping a client’s information confidential is often in the best interest for the client’s safety, this is not always the case. Certain instances may arise where it is essential to break confidentiality. Throughout this paper, we will look deeper into different situations where breaking or keeping confidentiality is necessary. Specifically, we will consider confidentiality principles as a counselor.

When considering confidentiality within the therapeutic setting, many issues need to be considered. Just as with individual clients, in managing confidentiality with couples and families, or in this case, San and Sandra, it is my responsibility to maintain their confidentiality under most circumstances. Although many confidentiality issues are similar to individual clients, when working with couples and families the challenges of maintain confidentiality increases. There are some exceptions to maintaining confidentiality, most of these limitations are the same exceptions held during individual therapy; however, there are some specific to couples and family. These exceptions are, when the law mandates it, such as knowledge of

The group therapy leader is one of the most essential variables that will influence the group’s success or breakdown. Group therapy leaders need to have very important group leadership skills before they can go into helping individuals deal with their own problems. Group leaders must have knowledge of how groups best function and that they individual posses the skills to intervene in timely and effective ways. When a group leader creates a group climate that fosters interpersonal norms such as directness, openness, respect and concern for one another, these norms will create therapeutic interactions among the members. Essential leader behavior is to cultivate a group climate that is secure, constructive, and encouraging, yet strong enough to at times withstand highly charged emotions, challenges, and interactions between members. In addition to personal characteristics, group leaders need to acquire a body of knowledge and a set of skills specific to group work. Counseling skills can be taught, but there is also an element of art involved in using these skills. The objective of this paper is to compile a list of the important factors and traits that allow therapists to be successful group therapy leaders.

Remley and Herlihy (2016) defines confidentiality as an ethical concept which refers to the counselor 's obligation to respect the client 's privacy and in session discussion will be protected from disclosure without their consent (p.108). The receptionist never disclosed what was being discussed in wife A session; however, her inadvertent breach of confidentiality occurred the moment she divulged the fact that wife A is a patient at a mental health facility. An important premise to understanding the ethical principle of confidentiality is base that a counselor respects the client 's right to privacy (Remley & Herlihy, 2016; Quigley, 2007). Premise one states the "counselor honor the rights of clients to decide who knows what information about them and in what circumstances" (p.110).

According to the ethical and legal principles of the counseling profession, it is our morally professional responsibility to break confidentiality in order to eliminate the possibilities of chaos, to the best of our ability. The American Counseling Association (ACA) code of ethics explains adherence to confidentiality in a number of instances. In standard A.2.e., Mandated Clients, it describes the requirements for informing mandated clients of the limitations to confidentiality and, should an issue arise, to whom the revealed information must be shared with. This rule applies to all clients. The counselor’s responsibility to do so must be conveyed to the clients at the very beginning of the counseling relationship, with periodic reminders throughout sessions, and include the dangers involved if the client refuses to participate in the mandated sessions. ACA code of ethics further explains in standard B.1.c., Respect for Confidentiality, that counselors are to guard “confidential information” and “disclose” this “information only with appropriate consent or with sound legal or ethical jurisdiction.” Therapists must also “identify situations” where breaches can void or challenge confidentiality (ACA, 2014, B.1.d., p. 7).

“In group psychotherapies, the therapist may fail to obtain fully informed consent, or may inadequately explain that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed in a group setting. The group therapist may not have the skills to differentiate between helpful and harmful feedback from the group, may lack the knowledge to understand when premature disclosures can be harmful to a group member, or might misunderstand how groups form norms that can be either healthy or unhealthy. Family therapists are faced with problems of agency,

This paper begins with a general idea of self-disclosure by therapists and the importance of keeping the client’s needs first. It covers many aspects of self-disclosure including ethically what to look for in the motives of using self-disclosure with a client. There are other aspects of self-disclosure which include transference and countertransference which are issues which need to be attended to immediately for the therapist to remain objective and not react to a client. Therapists must be cautious in disclosing information and make sure it is relevant to treatment. Beneficence and nonmaleficence are important things to consider when self-disclosing and the therapist must be educated, well trained, and have experience before considering self-disclosure. Also included in this paper are different orientations in relation to self-disclosure. Those orientations include Adlerian therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, feminist therapy, and relational therapy. Although these are only a few orientations,

The protagonist discussed the theme of disclosure where a patient may struggle with thoughts that he or she believes is unique to him or her and might find great difficulty in surpassing or to overcome. Yolam highlighted the fact that group counseling can be rewarding for patients suffering from a lack of disclosure where they are given the opportunity to listen to other persons with the same or

Breaking confidentiality is a serious ethical component in counseling and must be considered very carefully before doing so. Each state has laws regarding the disclosure of confidentiality whether it to the courts, the clients, relatives, lawyers, schools, or other unbiased parties (Corey et al., 2015). It is very important that the therapist is aware of the laws in regards to disclosure of confidentiality in the state in which they practice to ensure that they are practicing in an ethical manner and to avoid any legal

Ethics or morals can be defined as right and wrong. It shapes our worldview by the choices that we make. It is a set of principles of right conduct, or a theory or system of moral values. High ethical values are crucial to our individual lives. Most people when they think of ethics, they tend to refer to the golden rule” do unto others, as you would have them do unto you”. This paper will look at ethical issues that arise during group therapy. It will discuss the leader, the qualities of a good leader, and how they should handle ethical issues when they arise. This paper will also consider ethical issues that can arise in individual counseling, and why a leader would choose group therapy over individual counseling. Challenges will come during counseling sessions, group and individual, but they must be handled in a professional, respectful manner. The leader must choose what is the best course of action when presented with these challenges, and remain within the code of ethics; which provide guidelines which must be followed.

I learned two significant things about group counseling in this course. The first thing that I learned is the importance of setting up a treatment plan. The intention is to follow the client from their entrance into the program until the client is discharged. In this process the clients’ problems are identified through various assessments and as each problem is addressed, it is checked off of the list. Once all of the problems are checked off of the list, the client is considered as having completed the plan. This plan is especially important because it evokes thoughtful conversation between the client and the counselor and is the best method to gain information from the client regarding the help they want to receive. The second most significant thing that I learned about group counseling is how to design a group from start to finish. From pre group design, planning the goals of the group and determining the members to setting up the environment and structuring the sessions, each step adds its own important components to designing group counseling.

I think Self Disclosure is a slippery slope because if we let to much about ourselves we can experience a role reversal and if we do not disclose enough we may loose the client. I do think that drawing this line is difficult because as counselors we know the importance of connecting with the client and a shared personal experience is like creating an instant connection with another person. Our experiences give us the ability to empathize more deeply then just trying to put ourselves in someone else situation. I think I would have the most problem with self disclosure because I tend to be very open about my life, and things I have gone through I do not shy from sharing a personal experience. I like to help and

In the grief support group I co-lead with a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and supervised by a Master of Social Work I learned how to facilitate a meeting. The LPCC taught me the person-centered approach and the social worker taught me to monitor client’s progression of goals. She allowed me to take lead, to link members together by similarities they share, and to give members homework. The LPCC believed in self-disclosure, she demonstrated this for me in a fantastic manner the social worker I was with did as well. Teaching me that it is great to self-disclose when appropriate and when it will benefit the progression of the group or for them to feel comfortable trusting the leader. In my group sessions I did not deem self-disclosure appropriate to use. How I will translate this is to be aware of my clients, to ask them what goals they hope to achieve, and for them to keep journals of progress. I will create a safe atmosphere for clients to speak, provide affirmation, and help clients set and maintain goals.

Group counseling may be adverted to as a course of counseling, which takes a group of people coming together under one or more trained therapists, who simultaneously facilitate them and promote them to help one another to overcome their challenges. The group members are usually peers who may not necessarily face the same problem, but their problems may be linked. According to Jacobs, Masson, Harvill and Schimmel (2012), all members in a counseling group wish and desire personal growth. This kind of therapy has been employed over the years and it has produced excellent results in the lives of the group members.