Personal Counseling > Confidentiality and Records

Counseling often involves sharing sensitive, personal, and private information by clients with their counselor. Recognizing this, laws and ethical guidelines require that all interactions with the Counseling Center, including content of your sessions, your records, scheduling of or attendance at appointments, and progress in counseling are confidential. No record of counseling is contained in any academic, educational, or job placement file.

Exceptions to Confidentiality

For the vast majority of clients, no exceptions to confidentiality are made. However, there are some exceptions to confidentiality which you should know about before you begin counseling:

• The counseling staff at the Counseling Center operates as a team. Therefore, from time to time, your counselor may consult with other staff members or receive supervision from a clinical supervisor. These consultations are for professional and training purposes only and are aimed at providing the best possible care for all clients.
  
  
• You may request, in writing, that the Counseling Center release information about your counseling to professional persons you designate.
  
  
• If there is evidence that an individual poses a clear and imminent danger of harm to self and/or others, a counselor is legally required to report this information to the proper authorities. Appropriate medical or law enforcement personnel will be notified to ensure the safety of the client and the community.
  
  
• Counselors are required to report physical and sexual abuse of minors, or the elderly to the State Department of Social Services.
  
  
• A court-ordered subpoena can require the Counseling Center to release information contained in records or require a counselor to testify in a court hearing.

Also see Consent for Counseling

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Ron Vick, MA, LPC
Counselor / Academic Advisor
Int'l Student Advisor