[Emrys]

So I'm a college student, and due to complex family reasons, I am currently unable to get involved with a private therapist. I have been going to campus health due to self harm and a particularly distressing situation with my younger sister [she has her own mental health issues -- ** and is a minor **].

When I first went to see a therapist at campus health, I was totally ready to talk about everything going on. I was aware of confidentiality and any reasons she might have for breaking that. I suppose I underestimated the seriousness of some of my family issues -- and there was talk of reporting my family to Child Protective Services. Her argument was that though I had not seen any signs of my siblings in an unsafe situation for years, I had no proof that they weren't still and I had admitted that they were once in an unsafe situation. This idea was nixed.

Buuut -- I was panicked and distressed and I told her lots about my family situation. I spent some time away from campus health and got significantly worse (perhaps from revealing too much right away -- stuff I might add that I hadn't talked to anyone -- literally any person -- for years?). I returned to campus health and was set up with a therapist who did safety check-ups with me and with another therapist to work with setting me up with a community provider -- because they provide short term therapy only due to how many clients they get.

I admit that coming in to campus health after my experience mentioning anything family related made me a bit wary. My check-in therapist was a student getting a Psy.D in the fall and I grew to trust her and feel a little more comfortable. We talked mostly about self care and my particular safety concerns ... actually I strategically didn't talk about my family at all.

I have since then stopped seeing her since I am doing a little better in some aspects -- and also because my moving to a community provider just isn't going to happen anytime soon and I'm a waste of time, lol.

I do wonder -- do all the therapists have records to all my sessions within campus health? I ask mostly out of curiosity -- did she know that I was lying to her the one time she asked about family? Also, they have group therapy programs via campus health and those are free and not of a short duration -- I was considering inquiring about those. One of them that I thought might be helpful to me is for ACOAs -- and it would certainly be easier ask about it if someone already knew.

Sorry for the length. u_u;

[HazelGirl]

You would have to ask whether they have records. I bet it depends on the school and their individual policies. Even if she knew you were lying, she wouldn't have brought it up. They are trained to accept their clients, even if they know they're lying. I have heard it said that T's believe their clients are telling as much of the truth as they are capable in any given moment.

[roads]

Was it a private or public college? You should have gotten a copy of the confidentiality agreement you signed ... If you still have that, read it carefully--it should specify that whether they have any right to release information.

ACOA is a good support organization. You may find someone in the Addiction Forum familiar with the group.

Roads

[Emrys]

I attend a public college. And I read through the confidentiality agreement, and they are allowed to disclose information to aid in the therapeutic process to other people working with me in the campus health building. I guess my only question now is whether she would have access to that if she is technically an intern.

In other news, I went in and asked about group therapy and groups are closed to new members until the fall. Sigh.