From: mdtll@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (tigger)
Newsgroups: alt.sexual.abuse.recovery
Subject: Re: More on a breach of confidentiality
Date: 6 Nov 92 17:11:01 GMT
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
Originator: mdtll@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu

In article <1992Nov5.094631.1@bcvms.bc.edu> faype@bcvms.bc.edu writes:
>In article <Bx899F.CI@twwells.com>, anon-1326@twwells.com (The Captain) writes:

>> Maybe some of you out there
>> reading ASAR could answer this for me: Do you think what's happened here so
>> far is a denial that my confidentiality was actually violated?
 
>Clear as the noon day sun.  I would suggest documenting day,time, who you
>talked to, and what was said.  If the Dean had fessed up and straightened
>out the situation, then there would be hope.  However, she is clearly
>denying and covering up.
 
>The violation of confidentiality was actually your COUNSELOR, not the Dean.
>The counselor is forbidden to release info without your consent, and he/she
>violated this.  The Dean, on the other hand, is remiss in not
>(1) investigating the problem, (2) covering up her employee's (counselor's)
>violation, and (3) failure to discipline or fire her employee for a clear
>violation of ethics (and possibly law).
 
i have to agree with this.  it is the counselor's responsibility
not to give out any information that would breach confidentiality.

i was also concerned about this when i started in counseling.
well, not exactly when i started, but when i was taking the step
to tell my parents i was in counseling.  at that time, my
counselor told me that if anyone called, the most he could tell
them was that yes i was in counseling.  period.  unless i gave
him permission to go into more detail.  (unless of course i was
a danger to myself for someone else, but in that case, he would
go to governmental authorities, not parents or school people.)
 
i needed a letter to make up an incomplete that was over a year
old.  he asked me what i wanted in the letter.  i.e.  what i
felt comfortable with divulging.
 
anyway captain, i was terrified of mental violation by any of my
conversations getting back to my parents.  my privacy is
something i'm very paranoid and protective of.

if the counselor is not head of the counseling group, i suggest
you talk to his supervisor.  of course, i also suggest you talk
to the counselor first.   if you are not comfortable with face
to face, drop a letter off at the desk at the counseling center
for him.

another thought just struck me...
the letter may have been mentioned because of concern of how
payment was going to be made.   i.e.  "well, captain's planning
on writing his parents this weekend.  maybe he'll ask for money
then..."

this doesn't make it any less of a breach or a mental violation
to you, but i think you need to talk/write to the counselor and
let him know how you feel, what you feel he did wrong.  it can't
change the past, but it may make him think twice in the future.
and like i said, if that doesn't help or you don't get a
satisfactory answer, go to his boss.  then to the ombudsman of
the college.  (they're supposed to be an objective arbitrator of
situations that aren't getting resolved.)
 
tigger  (a lurker and one time poster since the beginning)