保密

为什么保密如此重要?

在决定是否去看心理咨询师时, students often wonder if their privacy will be protected.  In order to share your private thoughts and feelings, it is necessary to trust that what you say will be kept between you and your counselor.

It is important for you to know that any records of your visit to the 咨询中心 do not become part of your academic record/transcripts, 管理人员也无法获得这些数据, 教师, or staff of the university outside of the 咨询中心. No one, 包括你的家人, has access to your counseling attendance or records.

我可以选择打破保密吗?

在法律意义上, "confidentiality" is something that binds the mental health professional from making disclosure about a client's visit. However, you as a client may talk to whomever you wish about your own counseling experience. 不时地, you may decide that you want to talk about your counseling with a family member or a close friend. 这完全是你的决定.

偶尔, situations arise when it might be beneficial to have your counselor provide information or speak to a third party about you. 如果发生这种情况, you or your counselor may bring this up for discussion during your meeting together. As you and your counselor consider the potential benefits and disadvantages about sharing this information, you will be better able to make an informed decision.

If you both agree that it would be beneficial for your counselor to do so, you will be asked to sign an authorization to release and to share the information with an outside party. The laws which govern our services require us to "obtain your informed and written consent."

The information to be disclosed may be comprehensive or limited to a specific 目的 which fits the situation. 不管他们是为了谁, 所有同意书均为书面形式, 指定谁将接收该信息, describe what information is to be shared and require your signature.

The 咨询中心 follows this requirement with everyone, 包括你的家人, 大学工作人员, 以及前任或未来的顾问. You have the right to refuse to provide consent, or to revoke it once it is given.

Are there any limitations or exceptions to confidentiality?

There are three important exceptions to confidentiality that all counselors in our Center must follow. These exceptions are part of Rhode Island state law and cannot be altered by Roger Williams University or by the 咨询中心.

The first exception concerns protection from imminent harm. If your counselor believes you to be at imminent risk to seriously harm or kill yourself or someone else, the counselor may take actions to protect you or others, 甚至不惜牺牲你的隐私.

第二个, if your counselor becomes aware that a child (minor) or elder is being abused or neglected, 他们可能会采取措施保护孩子或老人, which may involve sharing information that you had previously shared with the counselor.

The third exception is that if your records is requested by court order, 这些记录可以与法院共享. 这种情况极为罕见.

While all counselors are legally and ethically mandated to follow these guidelines, every effort is made to inform you of your rights and to protect your privacy to the fullest extent possible under the law. If you have any questions or concerns about confidentiality, please ask your counselor or the Interim Director for clarification.