How to explain something I can't disclose

[Gwyrdd]

If I hypothetically committed a crime, that I think could possibly be related to C/PTSD symptoms, how would I go about being both honest and not incriminating myself to a therapist at the same time?

 

[Beautiful Disaster]

Oh that is a difficult question. It depends on the laws in that country.
Down here, the netherlands, (im a social worker), if my client tells me something incriminating, that usually isn't my business.
But when they become a threat to themselves or others, I do have to act on that. But those are extreme cases and rarely happen.

Hope this helps?

 

[may71]

how would I go about being both honest and not incriminating myself to a therapist at the same time?

You could ask a therapist under what circumstances they would break confidentiality. It might be ok.

 

[Gwyrdd]

Oh that is a difficult question. It depends on the laws in that country.
Down here, the netherlands, (im a social worker), if my client tells me something incriminating, that usually isn't my business.
But when they become a threat to themselves or others, I do have to act on that. But those are extreme cases and rarely happen.

Hope this helps?

That actually does help. It was a long time ago, and I'm certainly not a danger to others at least. To myself... well I wouldn't be here if I wasn't, sometimes.

Thanks.

 

[Ash600]

The disclosure of confidential information is quite a complex area, lot depends on as already stated, the country you're in and it's laws and regulations governing the sharing of confidential information. In the course of my job, I've had to disclose on a couple of occasions, one was straightforward, the other, less so. Perhaps asking your therapist to ouline what the limits of confidentiality are may be of help?

 

[Gwyrdd]

The disclosure of confidential information is quite a complex area, lot depends on as already stated, the country you're in and it's laws and regulations governing the sharing of confidential information. In the course of my job, I've had to disclose on a couple of occasions, one was straightforward, the other, less so. Perhaps asking your therapist to ouline what the limits of confidentiality are may be of help?

I've already decided that asking is the best option.

But I'm curious now, how reportable are hypotheticals? In the original post, I never TECHNICALLY said I had committed a crime. But can the implication legally incriminate someone?

 

[Ash600]

I've already decided that asking is the best option.

But I'm curious now, how reportable are hypotheticals? In the original post, I never TECHNICALLY said I had committed a crime. But can the implication legally incriminate someone?

That really depends if the discussion of hypotheticals gives in this case a therapist, reason to believe that there could be a real likelihood that a crime may be committed sometime in the future.
In the UK, disclosure of information without consent may be undertaken if it is in the "Public Interest." For instance if it's done so as to prevent harm either to the individual or a third party.
Other factors which define when something is in the public interest can be a bit of a grey area. You can't really adopt a strictly algorithmic approach, as each case can can or should be assessed on an individual basis, perhaps even having the need to pass onto the IG lead (information governance) for that organisation.

Sorry if the answer was a bit too rambling, but I hope you found at least some of it to be of help.