Confidentiality

We will treat all the information you share with great care. It is your legal right to have sessions and records about you kept private. That is why you will be asked to sign a "release of information" form before discussions or correspondence is shared with anyone. In general, no one will be told what is shared during a session, as a matter of fact, we will not even reveal that you are receiving treatment.

Please note, with the exception of rare situations, your confidentiality is protected by state law and by the rules of our profession. The following are the most common cases in which confidentiality has limited protection:

• If you were sent by the court for an evaluation or treatment, the court expects a report. If this is your situation, please talk with your therapist before sharing anything you do not want the court to know. You have the right to tell your therapist only what you are comfortable with telling.

• Are you suing someone or being sued? Are you charged with a crime? If so, and you tell the court that you are seeing a counselor, then the therapist may be ordered to show the court treatment records. Please consult your attorney about these issues.

• If you make a serious threat to harm yourself, another person or the community; the law requires the therapist to try to protect you, the other person and/or the community. The result is that the therapist will have to tell the authorities about the threats.

• If we believe a child or an older adult has been or will be abused or neglected, we are legally required to report the information to the authorities.

• Please keep in mind that if you limit telling your therapist information, treatment outcomes will be limited.