The Importance Of Confidentiality In Counseling

to whatever legal prefects exist in a particular country, state, or province (Pope, 1998).

Informed consent Regardless of practitioner’s theoretical background, informed consent is an ethical requirement “that is an integral part of the therapeutic process” (Corey, 2009, p. 40). It is vital that clients are provided with clear and explicit contract in order to enhance client’s autonomy and to ensure active cooperation on client’s behalf (Bond 2010).There are no ethical or legal requirements to have contract in writing, however in order to protect the client and practitioner it would be considered a good practice to lay out the ground rules at the beginning of therapeutic relationship (Mooney, 2003). This may pose a challenge to practitioner

It is extremely important to inform clients, before starting the therapy, about confidentiality and its limitations. Corey (2009, p.41) states “counsellors have an ethical and legal responsibility to discuss the nature and purpose of confidentiality with their clients early in counselling process”. To this day Irish Legal System does not recognize communications between the client and therapist as privileged, so it would be highly recommended to include this information in initial intake (Mooney, 2003). Confidentiality is most likely to be the issue that raises “most ethical and legal anxiety for counsellors” (Bond, 2010, p.155). However, in order to avoid such anxieties therapists, must contemplate the requirements of the law and their duty to report as well as bringing up ethical issues regarding confidentiality into

When a therapist intervenes in a way that is intended to promote the welfare of their patient, it falls into the moral and ethical principles of “Beneficence and Non-maleficence” (APA, 2002). Before making the decision to cross a boundary a therapist must keep in mind whether such an action will “benefit, interfere or affect the therapeutic process in any way” (Zur, 2011). Especially for those that work out of their homes, they must keep in mind that their own personal dwelling may disclose more than they might think, including their family dynamics, their financial stature, and their personal tastes or inclinations (Zur, 2011). In making this assessment a therapist should consider the “client 's presenting problem, history, gender, culture, age, sexual orientation, mental ability” (Zur, 2011). A therapist’s willingness and extent of self-disclosure is influenced in part by their very own “culture, gender, and personality” (Zur, 2011).

There are four types of self-disclosure. Deliberate self-disclosure is the intentional “verbal or non-verbal disclosure of personal information” and can even cover such details like the way a therapist has decorated an office or included family photos within this setting, and extends to nonverbal gestures, body movements, or sounds made (APA, 2002). Within deliberate self-disclosure there are two