Confidentiality in psychotherapy: Some of actual dilemmas

Abstract

The article examines confidentiality principle from different perspectives: as the factor which plays a very important part in developing a productive therapist-client relationship, ethical and, in many countries, legal issue. Ways to maintain confidentiality in therapy are stated, as well as situations in which it is inevitably limited. Three dilemmas concerning confidentiality are explained and discussed. The first is when one should speak and when one should be silent and what we should do when we are in two minds. The second is whether the client should be informed about confidentiality limitations at the very beginning, or when the need arises during the treatment. The third is whether confidentiality limitation (when a client poses a threat to himself or to the society) should be legally regulated, as it is being done in many western countries.

Keywords

• confidentiality
• ethical issues