topic Psychologist break confidentiality? in Treatments, health professionals and therapies

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 03:57:23 GMT

Hello I have a question regarding when a psychologist is allowed to break confidentiality.

I am over 18 but was abused at 15.

If I speak to a psychologist about the details, can she break confidentiality and tell the police?

Or is it only if someone is still a minor that they can do this?

I did some reading and I think as I was the victim and am now over 18 that I can choose to keep it confidential? Is this correct?

Thank you

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 04:02:35 GMT

Also could she break confidentiality if she believes that I could be at risk with the person not having been reported/identified?

Police did not believe me and I just have a big issue and fear of them now and just want to speak to a psychologist but I do not ever want to speak to police again. Thank you.

Psychologist break confidentiality?

romantic_thi3f — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 04:32:43 GMT

Hi TimTams,

Thanks for your post.

Yes, you are correct. The mandatory reporting laws are for children and young people up to the age of 18. Given that you're now over 18, they now no longer apply to you.

While legally, her hands are tied if you are still at risk or being abused over the age of 18, I'd imagine that she'd want to work with you really closely to keep you safe.

I hope this answers your question. You can also ask your psychologist this too (without giving them the details) and they can go into more depth.

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 00:46:23 GMT

Thank you for confirming romantic_thi3f. I have just been really upset lately and realise I really do need help and someone to talk to. I have been really struggling because nobody believed me. The only person who does believe me would be my ex-partner who did it, and I am certain at this point that he is not a good person and will never apologise, tell the truth and come forward. Police did not believe me when I told them about what my ex-partner did (which resembled what happened to me at 15). I just really need to speak to someone about it but the details are really hard to talk about. I hope talking to someone who I am paying to listen to me will not only believe me but want to listen.

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 00:48:26 GMT

Thanks I will ask her. I am just worried that she might break it once I tell her everything and I really do not want police to rush in and pretend to be heroes. I do not want to after the way I was treated, not being believed was so lonely and nearly made me take my life. I really just need to talk to someone who wants to listen to me and believes me.

Psychologist break confidentiality?

Nurse_Jenn — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 22:11:54 GMT

Hi TimTams,

It’s great to see you working on your health and searching for safe ways to heal from your past experiences of abuse.I am sorry to hear you are struggling and hope that some therapy will support you going forward. You pose some really important questions about treatment concerns that many people have in relation to confidentiality.

I always recommend that you raise this at the very first session you have with your treating therapist and ask them about their privacy and confidentiality processes. When you address your questions directly to them, I would hope this leads to an open discussion about your worry in relation to when I psychologist would breach confidentiality.

Most often, the only time this would occur is when there is a safety concern such as an imminent risk of harm to yourself, to others or to your reputation. Most often a psychologist would try to work with you to avoid a confidentiality breach. Typically a psychologist will advise you of what they would report (if they needed to) and why and would not do this behind your back.

In your situation, you are under no obligation to disclose the name of the person who abused you. You are not a minor and are able to decide whether you want to raise your concerns to the police. If you describe an imminent risk to another minor then a Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse report could be made by your health provider. Each state has its own legislation of this nature.

The best way to reduce your worry is to be up front with your psychologist about the worries you have and address these early so they don’t interfere with your therapy sessions.

Your worries are legitimate and are shared by many others. You are not alone. I am optimistic you will feel relieved when you address your worry with your psychologist directly.

Wishing you the best possible outcome,

Nurse Jenn

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 04:43:16 GMT

Thank you for explaining all of that. I do not know who I can trust anymore and I have never told a professional before the whole story. I had my case closed early by the police and have experienced not being believed so I just really am too worried sick by going through all of that again. I just worry that she might be vague about the confidentiality and that if I do tell her she would break it due to the seriousness. I really wanted to talk to someone but now I really want to stop psychology because I am really worrying about this a lot and going through bouts of feeling and becoming physical sick. I think I have made my decision now not to tell. I would really have liked help for it but I really think I cannot do it and would rather let them get away with it. I just cannot do it and I really have backflipped and now just want to stop psychology altogether.

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 04:48:49 GMT

I am just really freaking out and already feel physically sick and do not think I can do this. The only person who knew was my ex-partner who would never tell the police because he replicated it. I have just changed my mind entirely. I am really worried about it and I do not think I can trust she would not break the confidentiality. Is there somewhere I could get help that would be entirely anonymous?

Psychologist break confidentiality?

romantic_thi3f — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 06:29:44 GMT

Hi TimTams,

Reading what you've gone through, I'm not surprised at all that you're asking these questions and doubtful about being open with her. I'm sorry that you had to go through that awful experience.

I get too that it is about trust, because we can sit here and outline these laws and codes of ethics, but it's you who has to feel comfortable believing that what you say won't need to leave that room. Whether you see a psychologist, a GP, a counsellor or a psychiatrist - they're all bound by laws, codes and confidentiality agreements.

The one thing that I'd really suggest is to tell her how you feel about what's going on. She doesn't even have to know the details just yet, but that way she can learn what's going through your mind and also be super transparent. If she's vague, it's okay to ask questions. I tell my therapist that I want her to be straight with me, so you can do the same.

I do hope that you're able to find a way to talk to someone; I feel like if you have a good psychologist, the benefits will far outweigh all of those fears.

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 10:28:13 GMT

Thank you, I tried to get counselling in the public system but it left me more hateful of counselling than optimistic. Some public service people just made some remarks that were pretty insensitive. I have been through a lot and someone commented that it happened two years ago (it was closer to a year) but the date was really beyond the point. Abuse has ruined my whole life and I really hate it and get so upset when people who have not suffered the same losses I have feel the need to comment and tell me to move on. They weren't the ones wrongly judged, disbelieved, punished and bullied. I really do need some help but I am tired of dealing with people handling it so insensitively and people talking to me about babies when I lost mine to someone very abusive. It is really hard to be able to like people and I am really starting to shut off to everyone. I am getting worried about myself though because I know I am really starting to believe there are no good people out there. I am having a really really hard time dealing with insensitive remarks from people who have no idea of suffering and I am getting really sick of these comments, some by professionals. The psychologist did seem a lot more professional and I guess her telling police is just a risk I might have to take. I really want to see the good in people but am really sick of having to go through what I have. I should have been believed and instead I am living my life feeling like the criminal and it is not fair. I did search on Google for anonymous counselling but apparently all psychologists take names and are bound by legal aspects. A part of me knows she might break the confidentiality but another part of me really needs help after so much abuse from so many who should have known better.

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 10:36:49 GMT

* What happened a year+ ago was in relation to my ex-partner and not when I was 15. I did not feel comfortable to tell anyone in the public system because so many of their remarks were already so insensitive and they really did not have no idea. I really hate talking to people who have never been through anything like what I have because they just do not get it and often make the situation worse by saying the wrong things. For me, the abuse is something that I will live with for life, and the public system implying I should get over it after 2 years was hurtful considering I never received any closure or managed to tell anyone everything that happened I did not think me being upset was that obsessive. I was abused, raped, nearly died, told to go kill myself and did nearly and they just expect me to get over it. It is something that I cannot just get over. I really would like help from someone a lot more professional. I just feel like I have been abused by so many adults in positions of power and really feel like again and again I just face abuse or being shunned by other adults instead of help. I need someone to really believe me and help me.

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 11:43:22 GMT

I am sorry for all the questions. There is a lot going on in my head and I feel a bit sick by all of it. Can I ask anyone here, is it not normal that it has been over a year and I am still struggling with what my ex-partner did? Am I meant to have recovered by now? Is it not normal that I do not just get over it? I feel like I am always going to hurt so much by this and am just wondering if that means something is wrong with me?

Psychologist break confidentiality?

smallwolf — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 12:34:29 GMT

Hi TimTams,

How long does it take to recover?

I once raised a similar question to my psychologist. By analogy I equated it with a jigsaw puzzle. Two problems, how big is the puzzle, and how many corners are there?!? Guess what. That became my homework for the next session. And the answer to that question was that I cannot know. Its like asking how long is a piece of string. In my case, it is as big or small as it needs to be. I hated that because I was looking for the goal line.

Rather I should be looking to see how far I have come.

Now my issues probably started in high school if not earlier and I am approaching 50. And there are some things from those days that I cannot get past - things that made be feel like a failure, or that I was not good enough. In short, it will take time. But how long I don't know.

But I have confidence that between myself and the help of my support team that I one day I can move past these things.

So in my view, and to borrow a saying from my psychiatrist, what you are feeling is natural for you. Some people take a longer or shorter time than other to heal, and it does not make you lesser for it. Just take each each day, one at a time, and the same for the weeks. And with the help of your support team you will find a way to move forward.

Tim

Psychologist break confidentiality?

romantic_thi3f — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 23:30:09 GMT

Hi TimTams,

Thank you for your post and it means so much to me that you feel comfortable sharing all of this here.

I feel so upset reading what you've been through, as what you've been through sounds hard enough, let alone the remarks and everything else when you went to go and talk to people. You didn't deserve any of that. I hope you know that.

I also hate the idea that you've been told or you have this idea that you need to 'get over it'. What happened was very traumatic and there's no rush for you to recover or find a new normal. Whatever the idea of normal is, it's going to be slower to get to because you haven't had that support system in place when you needed it the most.

Also, no, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you - and you never need to be sorry for asking questions.

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 01:27:43 GMT

Thank you. It has been surprisingly really hard to find an adult who is trustworthy and caring. I feel the same that I would have recovered better if I had been listened to properly. It might sound funny to other people that I cannot get over it but I really have not even been able to tell an adult the full story without being further abused. Every time I have tried to work up the courage I have had people make nasty comments about why I am not working at the moment and things like that. It has been really hard for me to move on when I have not been able to tell someone the whole story. It is also hard to get over it when I have not received justice despite having nearly lost my life. It is hard to get over nearly dying and not having the people who caused that pulled up in any way. I just felt like my life was really not worth anything to anyone and had no hope of someone listening to what happened to me when I was younger when they would not believe me when I said my ex partner knew not to do what he did. I really thank you for the space place to talk. I really have been struggling to move forward and it has not helped that I did not have a adult I could trust to talk to. Thank you.

Psychologist break confidentiality?

Guest5643 — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 06:02:15 GMT

Hi Tim Tams.

I am so so sorry what your going through and genuinly feel your pain. Although a different situations to yours i completely understand what its like to lose all trust in adults and police ect. If i'm ever assaulted ect i will never go to police cause i know somehow they'll make it my fault. I realy realy hope you can find some peace, and there is no right or wrong time limit for that. The unfortunate reality is some psychologists do break the confidentiality rules. A local psychologist i used to run into while we would walk our dogs would each time start telling me bout her sessions where the clients lived, details of there problems, sometimes laughing at what they were wearing and what they looked like. Eventualy i got so fed up and called up the place and they said they were aware of what was happening and she dosnt work there now and they had a meeting with the other psychologists in the place about the confidentiality laws and what happened. Lynne

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 12:13:52 GMT

Hi Lynne,

That is awful and I wish there was something more I could do to help other people who have been let down by professionals in helping professions.

I do realise now though that 'reputable' people cannot necessarily be trusted just because they are in caring/helping professions. A big part of why I am fearful of rejoining the workforce is because of the untrustworthy people who are currently working. I have more pride in saying I am unemployed right now not because I am lazy but because I am honestly petrified of these types that I have unfortunately came across. I am pleased that psychologist is no longer as that rarely happens - from what I have come across anyway, criminals have been allowed to stay in their jobs. It is a terrifying thought to rejoin the workforce when I now know these people are out there and held unaccountable. It is absolutely what makes me never want to rejoin society again.

Besides the disappointment, I am going to try to trust this psychologist and I will hope she will do the right thing by me. I have not been able to move on because I never had the chance to tell my whole story. She can gossip about my clothes (wink) but I hope this psychologist really takes what I am telling her a lot more seriously. This is the last time I am going to trust someone and I really do hope this professional listens.

I have not really thought about what the psychologist would say about me in terms of gossip but I just cannot stop thinking about other teenage girls who could have been hurt. Again, I need to say something. I just hope this time the person I trust will realise the gravity this time. Wish me luck. My appointment is not until mid next week and I might chicken out from telling her but I am really going to try. I would like to change the system more for other people than myself because if I cannot speak up I really believe nobody can.

Psychologist break confidentiality?

Guest5643 — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 12:27:59 GMT

Hi TimTams. I realy wish you the best of luck and even if you do end up not seeing the psychologist just considering seeing one is a major step in helping yourself. Do you by chance have a dog that you be allowed to take with you to help ease anxiety while in there? assuming your not getting bus of course. Have you written all the details of everything that happened to you on paper and then throw away? Its an incredible stress relief doing that. Lynne

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 12:50:47 GMT

Thank you, and thank you for your help. I just do not want to live my life feeling depressed about everything that happened and become one of those bitter people. I lost a pregnancy and was abused but am trying to be grateful now that I loved enough to care for the child when my partner was abusive. I am really trying to turn everything around and not let bad people ruin my idea of a kind world where people do help. I have to believe some people do want to genuinely help. I do have a dog and am a dog person, thank you for asking. I honestly do not think I could ever write the details on paper. I have never written it all down before or told anyone. I hope this person will believe it.

Psychologist break confidentiality?

TimTams — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 12:59:52 GMT

Thanks. I am really ready to tell someone the full story, or so I think. It is more about being content that I did everything I could and told the truth. It is honestly impossible to move forward when nobody listened to me. I hope this helps a lot for myself now more than anyone else. I used to really want to help other people but right now I really do need to help myself.