Getting to the Couch Ep. 9 Confidentiality in Therapy

Confidentiality is one of the cornerstones of therapy—but what does it actually mean, and where does it begin and end? In this episode of Getting to the Couch, we break down the purpose of confidentiality, the legal and ethical boundaries around it, and how breaches—intentional or not—can shake a client's sense of safety and trust.

We talk about what therapists are required to protect, when they're legally obligated to break that promise, and why these boundaries matter more than most people realize. Whether you're in therapy, considering it, or providing it, this episode explores how the privacy of the therapeutic space can make or break the healing process.

Because before change can happen, safety has to come first.

Referrances or Resoures:

Articles: 

Mina. (2024, February 12). Collaborative care and patient satisfaction: What the data says. Medium. https://medium.com/@mina_5584/collaborative-care-and-patient-satisfaction-what-the-data-says-9a533a6b9d3f

Agarwal, R., Connors, E., Mauriello, A., Gutierrez, D., & Fuhlbrigge, A. (2024). Care coordination engagement patterns in long-term patients: A 9-year cohort study. The American Journal of Managed Care. Retrieved from https://www.ajmc.com/view/care-coordination-engagement-patterns-in-long-term-patients

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (n.d.). Care coordination. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.ahrq.gov/ncepcr/care/coordination.html

Olfson, M., Mojtabai, R., Sampson, N. A., Hwang, I., Druss, B., Wang, P. S., & Kessler, R. C. (2009). Dropout from outpatient mental health care in the United States. Psychiatric Services, 60(7), 898–907. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2774713/

Recouces:

HIPAA: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/privacysummary.pdf