Confidentiality And Privilege Communication

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Our textbooks discusses the terms privacy, confidentiality, and privilege communication in dept. Privacy and confidentiality have to do with client’s rights. According to our textbook, privacy has to do with “…the right of the persons to decide what information about themselves will be shared or with or withheld from others” (Remley & Herlihy 2016, pg. 117). Confidentiality is an ethical concept that has to do with counselor’s expectations to keep client’s information private. Lastly, privilege communication is a legal concept that has to do when and if information shared between client-counselor can remain confidential. All of these terms have to do with protecting the client’s information. However, how they do this among the terms is different. Privacy keeps the control in the patient’s hands, whereas confidentiality, is in the counselor’s hands, and lastly privilege communication is legal bounding.
There are a few exceptions to confidentiality. These include the counselor’s responsibility to protect the client, warn others, and report any suspected adult or child abuse or neglect. In any of these situations it is important for the counselor to act accordingly to keep everyone safe. When these situations come up then the counselor must only give out the necessary information. It is also very
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When counselors provide couples or group counseling, while the counselor is able to uphold the client’s confidentiality (within limits) the same cannot be promised from other person’s in the session. Another case is when you are under supervision, meaning you are operating under another person’s licensure. During these times you will be required to share information to this person. This is to help you become a better counselor and improve your skills as a counselor. In any of these situations it is important to let the client know up front any limits of your