Can The Psychologist Tell Others What You Explain?
One of the aspects of psychotherapy that generates the most suspicion is the issue of confidentiality. Can the psychologist explain to a third person what the patient or client tells him?
As we will see, except in an exceptional case, the answer is a resounding “no”. And no, this is not a simple moral norm that psychologists tend to follow because everyone thinks alike. As we will see, behind the profession there is an ethical code that must be complied with for a series of very important reasons.
During a series of psychotherapy sessions, it is inevitable that sensitive topics will be discussed: traumatic experiences, family conflicts, feelings that are not understood or that are socially frowned upon, etc. It is something that is part of the reason why therapy has a reason to exist; Even disorders with more limited effects, such as certain specific phobias, give rise to moments that we would not explain to anyone and that we are interested in not coming to light
The same thing happens if the problems to be treated are not disorders themselves; If there is something that makes us feel bad and motivates us to go see a psychologist, that is still confidential information.
And what happens if what we are looking for is not to treat a personal problem, but to address a new need (such as, for example, learning a new skill for which we must train with a professional who advises)? In these cases it is also very likely that personal issues will be discussed. Since cognitive restructuring related to self-esteem and self-concept, e.g. requires delving into the client’s most deeply-rooted feelings and beliefs
Now, these are the reasons why clients and patients are interested in there being a rigid discipline of confidentiality regarding what happens in the psychologist’s office.
Its existence in itself would justify the professional feeling the moral obligation not to tell anything to other people, since even though he is offering a service, he does not stop empathizing at any time. Now, this is not the only reason why Psychologists impose on themselves the obligation to ensure that the information does not leave their consultation The other half of this obligation is of a deontological and professional nature, not individual, but collective.
The principle of confidentiality in therapy
These sessions exist because they create a therapeutic bond based on trust. Much of the added value of this type of service consists of having a place where all the reasons for fear, shame and anxiety can be expressed, and based on that information, work to solve the situation.
That is why, if the stability of this relationship dynamic between the professional and the patient or client were not respected in advance, the work of psychologists would lose the foundation on which it is based. Not only would it mean losing customers, but it would also would extend a view of psychology according to which it makes sense to try to deceive the therapist or hide things from him, only showing him that information that is considered not very compromising.
In something like this, a few cases of therapists spreading data would cause very serious damage to the entire profession. That’s why, The principle of confidentiality is no longer a commitment of the therapist to himself and with the patient with whom he works, but it is also the same with the rest of his colleagues who are dedicated to the same thing.
But confidentiality is not limited to what the patient explains in the sessions. Psychotherapists also treat specific data and documentation related to their clients and patients as confidential, everything that is considered sensitive information. People do not even have to know the names of the people they work with to improve their well-being.
On the other hand, respecting the privacy of the information that clients provide is a way to demonstrate that the person who is offered the service is not judged. ¿Why would a therapist reveal confidential information?, but? Or because the topics discussed seem vain enough to tell, or because certain anecdotes amuse you, or because you respect the client little enough to give private information to whoever asks for it. In any case, these situations would be symptoms that there is no commitment to one’s own professional career.
In what cases is confidentiality broken?
The ethical code of psychologists establishes that the priority is the well-being of patients and the people around them. So that, the only situation in which a psychologist should be able to reveal private information to third parties of patients, is whether they have solid evidence that either someone is going to be directly harmed, or someone’s life is in danger. That is, a context in which what is being improved is in danger that is outside the scope of the therapist’s intervention.
In the case of suicide risk, the problem to be treated may be related to this, so confidentiality will be broken if it is estimated that there is an immediate and concrete danger.
