Confidentiality in Psychotherapy and Counseling: Ethical, Legal, & Clinical Issues

This intermediate course, updated to include the growing issues concerning confidentiality and electronic and digital communication, explains the procedures, ethics, advantages and potential pitfalls of ensuring confidentiality in the therapy relationship. Articles and podcast interviews with such ethics and legal experts as Dr. Stanley Brodsky, Christopher Zopatti, JD, and Jeffrey Younggren, take therapists though the requirements and intricacies of maintaining confidentiality while protecting the client, the therapeutic relationship and the therapist.

Part One presents an overview of issues concerning confidentiality (audio with transcript provided). Part Two includes two audio interviews (transcripts provided) with experts and looks at the legal cases that have redefined confidentiality and duty to warn (transcripts available). Also included is information on how therapists can make sense of the often conflicting rulings and protect themselves and their clients. Part Three covers the unique issues surrounding electronic communication, including e-therapy and the growing use of email, video conferencing, and social networking sites by therapists. Part Four presents the ethics codes of professional mental health organizations concerning confidentiality. Additional resources and references are provided for further study, but they are not part of the course.