# school psychologist...omg do not trust them ever!!!



## EMACHINES (Mar 27, 2007)

So a couple of months ago I told the school psychologist so many things I didn't want to tell anyone,things I didn't want anyone to know.Long story short, I find out she told my cousins wife!!! So then I asked the school psychologist if she had told anyone and she said "I already told you, this is between me, and you and no one else" Then I just walked out and never went back.:sigh

Has this ever happened to anyone else?


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## mal (Mar 26, 2007)

That's a serious breach of trust. Have you considered making an official complaint ?


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## EMACHINES (Mar 27, 2007)

I sort of did but my cousins wife works for the school and I didn't want to put her job at risk, besides at my school it's really hard for a teacher or any staff member to get fired or be disciplined.Good ol Southern Cali.


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## sonya99 (Sep 5, 2005)

That's not right. By all means, you should have trusted her. Some people, ok, a lot of people, don't treat young people with respect because they don't have as much power as adults.


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## 0rchid (Aug 19, 2006)

That's terrible, I hope you went back to her and yelled at her a little bit. Isn't that breaking confidentialty between a doctor and his/her patient?


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## lyssado707 (Oct 29, 2004)

*Re: re: school psychologist...omg do not trust them ever!!!*



sonya99 said:


> That's not right. By all means, you should have trusted her. Some people, ok, a lot of people, don't treat young people with respect because they don't have as much power as adults.


 :agree That totally defeats the purpose of having a safe place for kids who are having issues to go and vent. Formal complaint time...


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## Nae (Nov 10, 2003)

I'm pretty sure you can file a lawsuit over something like this. AFAIK if you are over 18 doctors and psychologists are not allowed to discuss their patients with others without approval. I had to sign a release form just so my therapist could contact my psychiatrist about something medication related.


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## chrisman19 (Nov 27, 2003)

That's never happened to me, and that's why I'm afraid to tell my therapist many things that are on my mind. Yes-they can't legally tell someone anything that you tell them, but if they ever do, it's already too late-there's nothing you can do about it-the word is already out. So what if they lose their license or whatever? It's too late by then.

I saw on the news a few weeks ago that a teenage girl in her high school told her school psychologist that she was having sex with a boy in her school, and the therapist broke her confidentiality agreement and told her parents about it. 

I'm always very cautious about telling my therapist all kinds of things because I'm afraid he might tell someone else. It's a shame that many therapists can't be trusted. THe whole point of going to a therapist is to have someone you can trust.

It seems like this psychologist you went to didn't even try to be confidential about what you told him/her, because she told your own family member and then lied about it to your face. That's just not right. It would make it even harder to trust any other therapist you might ever go to in the future, wouldn't it?


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## GraceLikeRain (Nov 9, 2003)

I am assuming that you are in high school? Sometimes I wonder if counselors who work in schools are even aware of all of the ethical guidelines that they are expected to follow. Or if they are aware of them, they might assume that they do not have to be as serious about them because they only work in a school.

I'm sorry that this happened to you. Do what you think is right for your situation. If you think that filing a complaint or talking to the counselor would help, then do so. At least you found out that this counselor can't be trusted and now know not to share more information.


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## GlueEater (Nov 16, 2006)

Here's what I would do. Personally having SA makes filing a complaint a HUGE thing to do, even when it's on someone who so obviously deserves it. You can usually find the psycologist's email online or through the school. Sit down, maybe even for an hour or two, thoughtfully and thoroughly write down everything. Tell them that they are horrible. I would just outright insult them and their intellegence, but that's me. Tell them how much they've screwed up an already messed up life. 

Best case scenario, they kill themselves, no I'm kidding (not entirely but by adding that I seem normal). Well best case scenario is they take a good look at themselves and see what they've done and hopefully they'll care. If not then your entire school is screwed.


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## Lisa (Jul 8, 2006)

*Re: re: school psychologist...omg do not trust them ever!!!*



EMACHINES said:


> I sort of did but my cousins wife works for the school and I didn't want to put her job at risk, besides at my school it's really hard for a teacher or any staff member to get fired or be disciplined.Good ol Southern Cali.


I don't think that your cousin's wife would lose her job or get disciplined over this. It wasn't her who broke your confidence. The counsellor did. They have clear ethical and confidentiality guidelines and she doesn't seem to have a grasp of them. I would find out who she is registered with and then I would write to them. Alternatively, you could as someone else said write her a letter and then send a copy of that to her licencing body. She would then have to justify herself to them.

If you don't manage do to all this now I would at least write down all the details of what happened while they are fresh in your mind. That way you have everything you need if you want to file a complaint at some point in the future.


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## opivy22 (Mar 1, 2005)

That is in 100% violation of the American Counseling Assocation's guidelines for its members. She can be sanctioned by her professional organization for bringing up any personal details from a case.


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## Prism (Dec 17, 2004)

As far as I know it is illegal for a licensed psychologist to break confidentiality EXCEPT in cases of:

1. you are a serious threat to yourself.
2. you have made a death threat against another individual.

If you report this, this person will lose their job.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

*Re: re: school psychologist...omg do not trust them ever!!!*



Prism said:


> As far as I know it is illegal for a licensed psychologist to break confidentiality EXCEPT in cases of:
> 
> 1. you are a serious threat to yourself.
> 2. you have made a death threat against another individual.
> ...


also if a child is being abused


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## bent (Aug 4, 2005)

*Re: re: school psychologist...omg do not trust them ever!!!*



Noca said:


> Prism said:
> 
> 
> > As far as I know it is illegal for a licensed psychologist to break confidentiality EXCEPT in cases of:
> ...


correct. and you can sue for (minor most likely) monetary compensation if you have the time and energy. kick the psychologist's ***. she's is clearly offside. that's totally unprofessional and disrespectful in addition to being potentially damaging.


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## tobeyourselfisnotacrime (Jun 10, 2007)

I NEVER TRUST MY SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS
OR ANY PSYCHOLOGISTS. I NEVER WANT TO LET THEM TRY TO TREAT ME.

Its better for you to treat SA yourself and ask God to help you. Besides, I never found a single person who got his SA treated by a psychologist.


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