Confidentiality is one of the most important components between a patient and psychotherapist. Successful therapy requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but the therapist’s office. I will provide you a written copy of my confidential disclosure agreement, and you can expect that what you discuss in session will not be shared with anyone. This is called “Informed Consent”. Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law I cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.
State law and professional ethics require me to maintain confidentiality except in the following situations:
* Suspected past or present abuse or neglect of children, vulnerable adults, and elders. In this case, I may need to involve the authorities, including Child Protection and law enforcement, based on information provided by the patient or collateral sources.
* If I have credible reason to suspect my patient is in imminent (near-term) danger of harming him/herself or has threated to seriously harm another person, I am also obligated to enlist the help of the authorities or otherwise breach confidentiality to ensure safety.