I strongly believe in and practice confidentiality. It is my legal and moral duty to protect your privacy. However, I also have a duty under the law to protect the wider community and myself.

Here are situations in which the law states that your confidentiality cannot be protected:

• If you are sent to me by a court for evaluation or treatment I must submit a report to that court. If you are in this situation, please talk with me before you tell me anything you do not want the court to know. You have a right to tell me only what you are comfortable telling.

• Are you suing someone or being sued? Are you being charged with a crime? If so, and you tell the court that you are seeing me, I may be ordered to show the court my records. Please consult your lawyer about these issues.

• If you make a serious threat to harm yourself or someone else, the law requires me to try to protect the threatened person. I cannot promise never to tell others about threats you make.

• If I believe a child has been, or will be, abused or neglected, I am legally required to report the situation to the authorities.

• If a court orders me to testify about you, I must.

• If I am away for a few days, I may have a trusted fellow therapist cover for me. This therapist will be available to you. I will tell the therapist only what he or she needs to know for an emergency. Of course, this therapist is bound by the same confidentiality laws and rules that I am.

• Sometimes I consult with other therapists or professionals. Your name would never be given to them. They would be told only as much as they need to know to understand your situation. Consultations like these enable therapists to provide higher quality treatment.