Help! Countertransferance and conflict of interest...

[stilllooking]

I'm working in a lab with interview analysis and some of the work we're doing is really counter-transference-y with regards to some of my previous experiences... I don't think it's negatively impacting my work (if anything, it seems to be enhancing it), but I really wish I could discuss it with someone and the only someone that I could (due to data confidentiality) would be my supervising professor. I'm looking to have her as senior thesis advisor and a possible grad school recommender, so I'd feel really awkward bringing it up and wouldn't want it to negatively affect her opinion of me...

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

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[thewesternsky]

Could you go see someone at Health/Counselling services at your school? Having a brief therapy session would let you talk through some of these issues without bringing them up to your supervisor.

 

[psybee]

Could you go see someone at Health/Counselling services at your school? Having a brief therapy session would let you talk through some of these issues without bringing them up to your supervisor.

as long as you don't give too much identifying info, couldn't you talk to a therapist about these issues?

 

[RayneeDeigh]

...

 

[KillerDiller]

For the longest time I tried to keep all identifying info out of sessions with my own therapist, and then she informed me that I can say whatever I want since she's bound by confidentiality anyway. It made things a lot easier.

Really? This still seems like iffy territory to me considering that the clients you see didn't give their consent for this exchange. Your therapist may be bound by confidentiality, but it doesn't mean that there couldn't be negative consequences for those you are disclosing about (even if the consequences are as minor as awkwardness if they ever happen to meet your therapist). Can you talk about these issues with your supervisor instead?

 

[Ollie123]

I'm glad you are able to talk with someone RD, but your therapist is actually wrong on the issue.

Its roughly comparable to releasing their records to another medical professional (all of whom are also bound by confidentiality). Still need signed permission to release records.

Still-looking, assuming this is something that can be discussed in a non-identifying way, I would still go see a therapist about it. I guess it depends on the issues at hand. If what's bothering you is something general (e.g. you work with kids whose parents are going through a rough divorce and your parents did the same), I'm not sure a therapist would need specific information about those cases to help you work through your counter-transference issue.

 

[psybee]

I'm glad you are able to talk with someone RD, but your therapist is actually wrong on the issue.

Its roughly comparable to releasing their records to another medical professional (all of whom are also bound by confidentiality). Still need signed permission to release records.

Still-looking, assuming this is something that can be discussed in a non-identifying way, I would still go see a therapist about it. I guess it depends on the issues at hand. If what's bothering you is something general (e.g. you work with kids whose parents are going through a rough divorce and your parents did the same), I'm not sure a therapist would need specific information about those cases to help you work through your counter-transference issue.

Hmm...I had thought that what RD said was right too. What about when licensed PhD's or PsyD's pay for supervision when dealing with a difficult case? This was something my Psychotherapy prof recommended when trying to decide if countertransference may pose an insurmountable barrier to providing treatment for a client.

 

[Ollie123]

Unless I'm totally off-base in how I'm reading the laws on this issue. Don't rule that out.

Would it be possible to get supervision as a licensed therapist? Of course, it is, and many do it. My point was just that someone being ethically obligated to keep confidentiality does not mean you have permission to inform them of confidential information. Its why you typically have to get permission to release records, even to other medical professionals.

Reason being, otherwise there would be no guarantee of privacy for anyone who had personal relationships with medical professionals/psychologists/social workers/etc.

Now, I realize in practice this is rarely that straightforward a situation. If you slip up and reveal a bit too much while getting outside supervision for countertransference, is that an ethical disaster? I certainly don't think so. I'm just speaking that technically, I don't think what that therapist said is true. Her having to keep confidentiality as well does not equal permission.