The Skilled Helper Practice Test

Confidentiality isn’t absolute. It has important exceptions tied to safety and legal obligations. The scenario that triggers a disclosure is when there is imminent danger to self or others, or when abuse is involved and mandated reporting requires disclosure. In those cases, the clinician is ethically and legally required to reveal some information to protect people and comply with the law.

The other situations don’t inherently involve revealing confidential material. Missing a session doesn’t disclose anything about the client. A request to disclose to a large audience depends on informed consent—sharing information with consent isn’t a breach, while sharing without consent would be. Being uncooperative is about the therapeutic alliance, not about disclosure of confidential information.