Little Box Counselling
Commonly Asked Questions on Ethics...
Q: What if you and I hold very different beliefs regarding religion or politics?
A: If you and I hold very different beliefs, I respect that. I understand that there are many different ways to view the world, including who you want to vote for, or whichever religion you choose (or choose not to) practice. As a counsellor, I work to treat all clients with the dignity and respect they deserve and to not discriminate due to their, or my own, personal beliefs. With that said, if we meet and you believe that I am not a good fit for you, I will try to help you find someone that is!
Q: Are my sessions with you completely confidential?
A: Good question! The answer is: Mostly. Depending on your circumstances and the nature of what we explore in counselling, there may be a few cases where things might not be confidential. For example, if you or someone else could be seriously harmed, there is a minor at risk, a third-party must be involved (like Workers Compensation or Child and Family Services), or the court asks for my notes, records, or opinion, I am unlikely to be able to keep everything just between us. Besides that, what you say is confidential unless you tell me it isn’t. Don’t worry, I’ll explain this in more detail if we meet for a session.
Q: Will you tell my parents what we talk about in therapy?
A: If you are under the age of 18 and your parents provide consent for you to come to counselling, I may need to tell them if they ask. I may also need to tell them information if something could be putting you at risk of harm (mentally, physically or emotionally). With that said, I will let you know if I find myself needing to break confidentiality and why I have to. I will also keep checking in with you to make sure you're okay with what we are doing. I will respect if there are things you don’t want to tell me, and I will not share what you say with anyone else except those with consent, unless I legally have to.
Q: If I share that I am having an affair, will you inform my partner?
A: If this is couples or family counselling, and we all agreed on a “no-secrets” approach, then I might tell them (or help you explore how to do it yourself). But, if not, I would not be able to tell your secret unless you told me I could, or there is a legal reason I have to. It depends on what we agreed upon at the start of counselling and if both you and your partner are my client(s). We would discuss this more if we met for a session.
Check out the Canadian Psychological Association’s Code of Ethics (2017), College of Registered Psychotherapists Code of Ethics and virtual counselling guidelines if you want more details on my practice’s ethical guidelines!
Here are some of the standards from the CCPA that I used to base my answers off of:
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General respect - Standard I.1
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Non-discrimination - Standard I.9
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Fair treatment - Standard I.12
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Informed Consent - Standard I.16, I.19 and I.23
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Protections for Vulnerable Individuals - Standard I.33-I.35
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Privacy - Standard I.37-I.38
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Confidentiality - Standard I.43-I.45
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General caring - Standard II.1
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Maximize benefit - Standard II.18
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Minimize harm - Standard II.34
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Offset/Correct harm - Standard II.42-II.44
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Straightforwardness/openness - Standard III.13 & III.16
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Respect for Society - Standard III.17-III.18
