Whatever happened to confidentiality?
And its also natural to wonder whether your therapist ever talks about you with other people.
They are only human, after all!
Fiordaliso / Moment / Getty
Surely theres some tea that even a therapist cant help but spill?
The truth is, your therapist has probably talked about you with someone else at some point.
But when is this ok, and when does it cross over into unethical behavior?
It can feel weird to open up so completely to someone you dont know much about.
We all know that keeping secrets can be hard.
This is why its important to understand how a therapist can ethically reduce that toll.
This doesnt necessarily mean that you yourself are a problem or a challenge, though.
Therapists are not omniscient, and in many cases, two heads are better than one.
Case conferences can be very helpful if a therapist is struggling in their relationship with a client.
Therapy
Therapists should be in therapy themselves.
How can you take care of someone elses mental health if youre not taking care of your own?
Your therapists therapist probably wouldnt know you from Adam.
Sometimes, we talk in very general terms about our work.
I dont know the names of any of my friends clients, not even their first names.
I dont know what they look like or any information about them that could help me identify them.
This might seem disturbing to you, and I understand why.
It might seem like an invasion of privacy.
But in actuality, its no different than talking to your friends about your coworkers.
However, if this thought bothers you, talk to your therapist about it.
When Should I Worry?
You might be concerned about stressing out your therapistand this fear is valid.
That is, essentially, the point of therapy.
But should you worry about how your therapist will handle the responsibility of your thoughts and feelings?
The short answer is no.
A therapist should never disclose this information to anyone outside your working relationship without your written permission.
They should not be sharing anything that could identify you to strangers with their friends or acquaintances.
Otherwise, they should not be sharing any of your PHI with anyone.
A good therapist will respect these boundaries.
Final Thoughts
Is my therapist talking about me?
The plain answer is, usually, yes.
But in most cases, this is not a bad thing.
Its only when a therapist is sharing identifying informationincluding your personal health informationwithout your consent that you should worry.
