Quote:
Originally Posted by Ann923
Hi, My 35 yr old son is bipolar. My husband and I are 70 yrs old and take him to all his appt's with his psychiatrist and counselor. He has been doing quite well except for his anger towards us. He screams at us when we say something he doesn't like. There has been no physical abuse but he frightens me. We walk on eggshells. He doesn't live with us, but we pay for his apartment, utilities, etc. We love him but hate his rampages.
Last week I left his counselor a voice message telling her of his anger and asked her to help with the issue. My husband told me that doing that was a mistake. Will his therapst tell my son about my voice message? If she does, now I'm really afraid of what he will do. Is she obliged to tell him about it?
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if this was the crisis center and hospital where I work (New York, United States of America, yes we would be required to tell the clients when their relatives/friends have called and what was discussed. Plus we have to totally disregard what ever family and friends tell us about our clients unless the client has signed a release form giving us permission to include that family member or friend in our clients therapy process.
we cant even acknowledge we are seeing the client even if the relative or family member already knows they come to us and we cant discuss the client with their friends and relatives because of privacy laws.
as a person receiving mental health services I have had other family members and friends that knew I was in therapy contact my treatment providers. Some were being very manipulative trying to get the therapist to address issues that I refused to deal with, with that family member/friend. other times it was out of concern for me, and other times it was because the family member/friend thought they could go behind my back canceling my appointments or making up issues I didnt really have just to get the therapist to drop me as a client, think I was more crazy than I was and other issues..
so I was very glad to find out that NY state and NY State mental health agencies are required to follow the privacy laws that protect those in mental health treatment from such actions, and inform the clients someone has called in about them.
As a crisis therapist dealing with domestic violence and abuse issues Im glad we have to follow these privacy laws protecting our clients... I cant tell you how many times an abusive boyfriend, girlfriend, parent, other relative or friend has tried to influence, manipulate and try to retain control over their victims by making calls to us.
By informing our clients that we have received a phone call and from who that client can be prepared, protect their self, and not be manipulated by family and friends. they can also see they can trust that we have their backs.
we are on the clients side helping the client to get through abuse, mental illness...we are not treating the clients abuser, parent or friend that calls in so we have no obligation of privacy laws to hold in confidentiality, what ever they tell us about our clients, we only have to protect confidentiality of our clients.