Confidentiality when counseling a counselor?

[lulzydoll]

Hi all, I am curious to know if there are additional limits to confidentiality when counseling another professional. For example, if you have a client that is either licensed and practicing or a student of counseling/psychology, are you obligated to consult and/or report if they tell you something that may impact the welfare of their own clients? I hope that makes sense! Thanks.

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[foreverbull]

Confidentiality limits are the same. No, you can't report it, because according to ethical standards, your client's confidentiality trumps your ability to report those professional issues. In fact, to take it even farther, even if your therapist client says he/she is sleeping with a client, you can't report it! If a colleague says he/she is sleeping with a client, yes you report to your state board right away, but if it's a client, absolutely not. The only exception: if your client is abusing a child/elder/adult dependent, you must report it by law, but that also applies to your other non-therapist clients.

 

[lulzydoll]

Confidentiality limits are the same. No, you can't report it, because according to ethical standards, your client's confidentiality trumps your ability to report those professional issues. In fact, to take it even farther, even if your therapist client says he/she is sleeping with a client, you can't report it! If a colleague says he/she is sleeping with a client, yes you report to your state board right away, but if it's a client, absolutely not. The only exception: if your client is abusing a child/elder/adult dependent, you must report it by law, but that also applies to your other non-therapist clients.

Thanks for the response! That makes total sense.