Confidentiality And Family Therapy: A Case Study

After reading Chapter 11, one specific area where I think I would be most challenged (ethically and clinically) as a therapist when engaging in couples /family therapy is the issue of holding individual therapy sessions with members at the outset of therapy. Individual assessments provide therapists with valuable information regarding each individual’s history, commitment to the current relationship and goals they wish to get out of therapy. However, during these sessions individuals take the opportunity to tell secrets which create an ethically difficult situation in confidentiality when conjoint therapy comes into play. As a therapist, I plan to keep secrets confidential in order to gain trust and respect the rights of each individual that is in therapy. This decision however also …show more content…
Confidentiality in the family system has many different conflicts due to the differences in status and culture among relationships. It is my responsibility to protect the information obtained in a therapy session. During individual assessment sessions with a couple I would determine how to manage secrets or other information that has not been shared within the couple by discussing the limits of confidentiality at the outset of therapy As couple’s therapist I plan to balance the individual’s right to privacy with the relationship’s need for safety, which requires an essential distinction between privacy and secrecy. Secrecy directly affects the relationship and may be kept due to fear, anxiety, or shame. As a therapist I feel it is my job to seek to safeguard the welfare and rights of their clients through considering all the aspects of the “client” when a secret is revealed like: why are they engaging in this behavior and how can I help resolve that