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Should I tell my therapist my secrets?
All therapists are trained to keep your information private and confidential. Creating a safe space for you to share revealing, personal information is a critical part of therapy that mental health professionals take very seriously. However, in some situations, a therapist may be required to break confidentiality. Past Crimes In most cases, discussing a past crime is protected by confidentiality rules. This means that you should be able to discuss a crime you committed with your therapist, and your therapist is sworn to secrecy. Therapists are required by law to disclose information to protect a client or a specific individual identified by the client from “serious and foreseeable harm.” That can include specific threats, disclosure of child abuse where a child is still in danger, or concerns about elder abuse. Your therapist’s relationship with you exists between sessions, even if you don’t communicate with each other. She thinks of your conversations, as well, continuing to reflect on key moments as the week unfolds. She may even reconsider an opinion she had or an intervention she made during a session.
What shouldn’t I tell my therapist?
Other things to avoid during a therapy session include: asking about other confidential conversations with other clients; showcasing violent emotions; or implying any romantic or sexual interest in your therapist. The number one job of a therapist is to keep you safe and protect their clients’ privacy. Psychotherapy is not supposed to be like a regular conversation. Over-talking, whether therapists are talking about you or—even worse—themselves, is one of the most common therapeutic blunders. Although therapists are not obligated to show concern, care, or love to their clients, you should look for one that does. Find someone who wants to truly understand you, takes consideration of your whole context, and can empathize. There are a few things that might contribute to this: you may not have developed the level of trust you need to feel safe with the therapist you are working with, you may be fearful of being judged by the therapist, or maybe you are afraid that opening the pain of the past might be too much to handle.
Can I keep therapy a secret?
Therapy is Confidential Almost all therapists discuss confidentiality in the first session. When I work with couples I let them know that I even keep affairs confidential. If you are unsure of that or questioning that, have a conversation with your therapist. Will my therapist report me for my drug use? No, this is unlikely. If you’re simply discussing your personal drug use, that information should be protected under therapist confidentiality laws and also under HIPAA, the Health Information Portability and Information Act. A therapist should never judge you. It’s your right to have a therapist who treats you with warmth and empathy. Your therapist may challenge you at times, but they can still communicate with tact. Words matter in the counseling relationship. They typically include information about the presenting symptoms and diagnosis, observations and assessment of the individual’s presentation, treatment interventions used by the therapist (including modality and frequency of treatment), results of any tests that were administered, any medication that was prescribed, … Yes, you can swear in therapy. At least you can with me and the therapists I know. Of course, if your cursing actually gets in the way of direct communication we’ll probably raise that concern (to help you swear more efficiently, perhaps?). Otherwise, therapists really shouldn’t prohibit moderate profanity.
Why I don’t tell my therapist everything?
The entire purpose of therapy is to discuss you, so you should never feel the need to apologize for talking too much about yourself. Your therapist needs to know what is going on with you, and they won’t perceive you as rude if you spend most of the session talking about your personal life. Looking ahead. Sharing something you think is too sensitive or personal can be uncomfortable. But know you’re not alone in thinking you’ve disclosed too much in therapy. When this happens, it can help to explore why you think you’ve overshared and talk it over with your therapist. We walk a fine line of being on your side but making sure that you are grounded and can maintain proper boundaries. So yes, we as therapists do talk about our clients (clinically) and we do miss our clients because we have entered into this field because we remain hopeful for others. Abuse shapes us in ways we may not even realize so you might not be sure where to even begin when bringing it up to your therapist. Take a minute and tell them you have a history of abuse to work through, but that you aren’t sure how to begin. Your therapist’s job is to help guide you through it. They see their job as helping you find your own answers, and they know that silence can help you do that. Sitting in silence allows a lot of things to rise up inside you—thoughts, feelings, and memories you might not normally experience. And that is what your therapist is hoping you’ll talk about. Anything and everything you say in therapy is protected by law, and a court order is required to allow the therapist to break that confidentiality. Even then, judges are very reluctant to issue such an order. That said, there are a few circumstances in which confidentiality can be broken.
How honest should I be with my therapist?
No matter what happens in the “real world” when you disclose certain information, it’s going to be different in a therapist’s office. Your therapist has likely heard it all, and the more honest you are about what you’re going through, the better they’ll be able to support you. All therapists are legally required to maintain confidentiality for their clients. Confidentiality means that a therapist cannot confirm or deny even treating the client if someone asks. Furthermore, they cannot discuss any revealing contact information, such as a client’s name or demographics, outside of the session. Some people wonder if therapists have to report crimes, and the answer is a bit complex. They are legally required to tell the police or the potential victim if they believe a patient may hurt someone else. A psychologist is not required to report past crimes in most cases though. Turns out it’s pretty easy to find resources and articles that say no, it’s not recommended. The reasons given (often by therapists) include splitting, conflicting treatment plans, creating secrets (especially if they aren’t aware of each other or aren’t in communication). Sharing personal experiences or views that violate a client’s value system may threaten the client’s trust in the counselor as an appropriate source of help, Too much counselor self-disclosure can blur the boundaries in the professional relationship. Short answer: yes. A new study published on January 15 in the Journal of Clinical Psychology finds that 86% of the therapists interviewed by the study’s authors say they sometimes do look up their patients on the Internet.
Can a therapist report what you tell them?
In general, therapists are required to keep everything you say in confidence except for the following situations: planned suicide intent. planned violence towards others. past, present, or planned child abuse. Past Crimes In most cases, discussing a past crime is protected by confidentiality rules. This means that you should be able to discuss a crime you committed with your therapist, and your therapist is sworn to secrecy. After you unpack your feelings, your therapist might provide you with some insight in response or help you deconstruct and synthesize what you just shared. They also might give you a task or something to think about if they think it’s important for your process. Therapists are human beings with emotions just like everyone else, and there are times when showing emotion in session can really help the client. One of the most important jobs a therapist has is to model a healthy interpersonal relationship, and there are no healthy interpersonal human relationships without emotion. A counsellor cannot be legally bound to confidentiality about a crime. Courts have concluded that it is defensible to breach confidence, in good faith, in order to assist the prevention or detection of a crime. However, there is no general duty to report crime except in specific circumstances. Sometimes people hide things because they worry that they won’t be believed (they may not have been in the past). And sometimes people hide things to avoid not just the therapist, but themselves—to avoid confronting their shame or pain, or the truth they know they need to tell.
What if you lied to your therapist?
Admit the lie It might feel a little scary, but it’s wise to tell your therapist you’ve been keeping things back. Try not to worry about them getting angry. That’s not what therapy is about, and it’s far more likely they’ll use your disclosure as an opportunity to dig a little deeper into your reasons for lying. Don’t Tell Lies Or Half-Truths That can make it feel even harder when speaking with a mental health professional you’ve just met. If your therapist asks about something that’s difficult for you to discuss, you may resist telling the truth or fail to offer up the details of the situation. Therapy is Confidential Almost all therapists discuss confidentiality in the first session. When I work with couples I let them know that I even keep affairs confidential. If you are unsure of that or questioning that, have a conversation with your therapist. You have specific rights when disclosing your diagnosis as a client receiving therapy. For example, it’s your right to ask your therapist to tell you if they believe you have a mental health condition. If you want a diagnosis, you can ask your therapist upfront. Therapists & counsellors expect trust in the sense that both parties understand and are committed to spend every session building it. The most critical component of trust is honesty, so consider being upfront about the fact that you do not trust a therapist 100% with certain information to be good practice at honesty.