Megan,

I am proud of you for trusting your coach and talking to him. It's really important to have someone you can trust and be honest with. If you never learn to trust, you're never going to be able to heal. You do have to also learn who and when to trust.

Rules about reporting when someone does something potentially dangerous are not cut and dry. There is room for interpretation. Someone who would feel like it is mandatory to report any incident of self-harm would be like someone who calls the police every time they find out someone drives without a seatbelt, or is underage and has a cigarette, or rides a bike without a helmet. It would be ridiculous, and the police and mental hospitals, etc. have bigger things to worry about. Anybody with an ounce of sense is going to assess how serious it is, and that depends on how much control you have, how honest you are regarding your intentions, how seriously you have hurt yourself, your reasons for it, etc. Trustworthy people will do what is best for you, and sometimes that means asking you to talk to a counselor, but sometimes it means keeping your trust too.

Megan, I do hope that you can find another therapist soon, but having a teacher who can be some support and a positive role model for you will help you even once you do get a new therapist.

Rap