It is not easy to struggle with these feelings and this issue. It is important for all of us to help create a caring and safe place where people can struggle with sexual identity and feel safe in speaking about it. But I am concerned that students who have read Holtrop's letter might wrongly conclude that speaking with a Broene Counseling Center counselor is not safe. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although Holtrop stopped short of saying that his confidentiality had been violated, the implication was there.
Confidentiality is the corner-stone of any counseling or therapy relationship.
Because it is so central to what counseling is all about, we at Broene do all we can to safeguard it and create a warm and safe atmosphere where students who are struggling or confused can speak. This applies to students who struggle with sexual identity or any other issues or concerns of the broader human experience. The Broene Counseling Center offers a high-caliber of clinical and counseling services to Calvin students.