When we think of therapy, we expect that the deeply personal information we share from a place of vulnerability will remain private and confidential: a safe container where anything can be said. And yet, counsellors have both ethical and legal limits to this promise. While anything can be voiced in therapy, not everything is strictly confidential.
What You Need to Know
Confidentiality can be broken if:
- There is a clear risk of harm to you, another identifiable person, or a group.
- The potential harm involves serious bodily injury or death.
- The danger is clear and imminent.
But not every concerning fact qualifies. For example, a past criminal record does not automatically justify disclosure if there’s no current or foreseeable risk. A criminal record reflects a story that contains personal and situational context that requires understanding. Upholding confidentiality protects each client’s dignity, minimizes stigma, and fosters trust.
But not every concerning fact triggers a breach. For example, revealing a past criminal record does not automatically justify disclosure if there is no current or foreseeable risk of harm. A criminal history is part of a larger story that is built on personal and situational context that holds nuance. Upholding confidentiality in these moments protects a client’s dignity, minimizes stigma, and builds trust.
Also, exploring existential topics like the meaning of life, death, nihilism, or questioning your purpose won’t result in a crisis response team showing up at your front door. Therapists will carefully evaluate the context, intent, and severity within these discussions before taking any action to break confidentiality.
The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association’s (CCPA) Code of Ethics emphasizes respecting the legal and moral rights of all individuals, while actively avoiding bias, judgement, or punishment based on unrelated past behavior (A2, CCPA, 2020). A decision to break confidentiality must always be guided by proportionality and necessity, and never by assumption or fear.
Why this matters for all of us
You don’t need to be a counsellor for this to hit home. Many of us share personal struggles online or in casual spaces, forgetting that once disclosed, we can’t always control how others interpret or use that information. Just as therapists must carefully weigh the limits of confidentiality, we might also reflect: How do I decide what is safe or wise to share publicly? What risks am I comfortable with?
Confidentiality is a cornerstone of therapy, but it’s also a mirror for everyday life. Thinking critically about disclosure, whether in the counselling room, by the water cooler, or on social media, invites us to balance openness with discernment.
Reflection + Journal Prompt
Confidentiality in therapy reminds us that privacy has value. Outside of therapy, we don’t always have that safeguard. Take a moment to reflect:
- What are some examples of deeply personal information I want to keep to myself?
- When I choose to share something, how can I tell if I’m sharing from a place of openness and vulnerability—rather than pressure, impulse, or fear?
- How might my words be misinterpreted, or even used in ways I didn’t intend?
Journal on these questions, not to limit your self-expression, but to develop discernment. Vulnerability is powerful, but it is also wise to protect what matters most.
Sources
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. (2020). Code of ethics. https://www.ccpa-accp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CCPA-2020-Code-of-Ethics-E-Book-EN.pdf
Photo by Icarius.jpeg on Unsplash
