Confidentiality In Group Therapy

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There come times in individuals lives where they feel that a matter is out of their able hands and need the help of someone who is more knowledgeable and will be able to give them assistance. Individuals that seek help from professionals rightly expect that any information disclosed will be kept private. Confidentiality is a fundamental aspect of any professional-client relationship, meaning that professionals are obligated to maintain that the information of the client and any matters discussed remain under complete protection from outside parties unless legally obliged to reveal the information. It is important for professionals to find the balance between the duty to maintain confidentiality, and the loyalty to the legal system; only under …show more content…
Since the relationship is no longer professional-client, more people are involved, complete confidentiality is hard to maintain. According to research done by Gina B. Lasky, confidentiality was more likely to be breached in a group therapy setting and the most common reasons for disrupting this confidentiality were consultation, personal need, as well as education (Lasky, 2005). It was also found in this study that “54% of group leaders reported they had violated the confidentiality of their members in the last two years” (Lasky, 2005). Typically, those who are participants in group therapy are advised to keep what is said within the session private – some clients, depending on the organization under which the session is occurring, might be asked to sign a consent form acknowledging that their confidentiality might be violated. The American Psychological Association posts on their group therapy FAQ (answered by Ben Johnson, PhD.) on their website that confidentiality is not guarantee and group members are welcome to share as much as little as they would like, although it is noted that the more information that is shared the more effective group therapy is more likely to be for that individual and even other individuals (Johnson PhD, 2015). In group therapy, “duty to protect and warn” depending on the states laws, would still apply …show more content…
Duty to warn or protect” laws are found in a handful of states throughout our country, and they declare that certain professionals, especially psychologists, have a duty to warn authorities if they know of an imminent threat of danger to an individual or group of individuals. These laws help protect professionals from being criminally responsible for their patient’s crimes, as well as help protect those in the community from potentially dangers persons. Some issues with these laws include confidentiality within group therapy sessions, as well as the potential hesitation of help-seeking individuals in fear that certain statements will be released to the police or used against them in any court trials. In ten years hopefully this system will improve in that more states mandate “duty to warn or protect” laws if not already required or in

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