What does confidentiality mean in Therapy/ CBT/ Psychotherapy?
I often get asked about how confidential therapy is and what confidentiality means in practice.
Therapy is confidential except in circumstances where the therapist is concerned about your safety or the safety of someone else as this would involve getting support from outside of therapy.
Your therapist will discuss your therapy with a supervisor. Their supervisor is also bound by confidentiality. Supervision ensures your therapist is providing good quality, evidence based therapy and initials or pseudonyms are usually used in supervision to further protect your confidentiality.
What if it turns out later down the line that my therapist knows someone that I know?
Your therapist cannot disclose that you have attended therapy or anything discussed in therapy. You can share with other people that you have attended therapy and the content but your therapist cant.
What happens if I see my therapist outside of the therapy room when I am with someone I know?
If a therapist sees you in the street they wont come up to you to protect your confidentiality.
This is not them being rude, they are bound by confidentiality.
What about notes in therapy?
All notes will include a brief summary of the session and not all intricate details. Notes made will be securely stored. All notes are usually destroyed after approximately 7 years in line with insurers guidance and GDPR. Please check with your individual therapists at to their exact procedures.
Will my therapists discuss confidentiality with me?
A therapist will usually discuss confidentiality in the first session, it will usually be in the therapist agreement that is sent to you when you start therapy and will be recapped if anything comes up during therapy so you and your therapist can decide how to respond if any concerns come up.
What should I do if I have any questions about confidentiality?
If you have any questions about confidentiality do ask your therapists. It is important you feel safe, secure and understand what happens with what is said in the therapy room so you feel comfortable to share. When you feel comfortable to share this is when the best therapy happens.
When will my therapist breach confidentiality
Confidentiality will only be breached if there were concerns about your safety, the safety of someone else or if you reported a serious crime. This is because in these circumstances supported from other agencies is needed e.g. GP, psychiatrist to ensure the safety of yourself and others. Even in these circumstances only the minimum amount of information needed to ensure the safety of yourself and others is shared.
Feel free to ask your therapists at Creatives in Mind about confidentiality we welcome these questions.
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