Confidentiality And Suicide Case Study

In Case Study 16 (Herlihy & Corey, 2015), a 17 year old male named Frank reveal to his counselor that he had the desire to commit suicide. His parents referred him to the counselor when they realized that things he once valued, he no longer cared about and his behavioral change concerned his parents. In Frank’s initial counseling session, he expressed his suicidal thoughts of: killing himself, giving up and planned to drive his car into an intersection of incoming traffic. His counselor provided support and guidance in his client/counselor relationship. The counselors used empathy in asking questions and they spoke about his support system, which he mentioned his uncle and it anything happened may he be contacted. The counselor used “Contracts for safety”, which is known a verbal/written agreement suicidal management strategy for the client making a decision to not commit suicide for a specified period of time …show more content…
By law the counselor is required to break the confidentiality of a client when they are willing to harm themselves of others (Herlihy & Corey, 2015). In Standard B.1.a., counselors preserve the awareness and sensitivity regarding cultural confidentiality and privacy. Counselors respect the differing views toward disclosing information. Through ongoing conversations with the clients; the counselors figures out as to how, when, and with whom information is to be shared. According to the Standard B.1.c., “the rights of your client’s information disclosed only with appropriate consent or with sound legal or ethical justification.” While inquiring confidently of Standard B.2.a, “it doesn’t apply when disclosure is required to protect clients or identified others from serious and foreseeable harm or when legal requirements demand that confidential information must be revealed” (Herlihy & Corey,