Confidentiality in counselling: what stays private

What stays private

What you talk about in counselling stays between you and your counsellor. They won’t contact your GP, family or employer without your agreement, except in the rare situations below.

Supervision

Counsellors in the UK are expected to have regular supervision with an experienced colleague, to make sure they are working safely and well. They may discuss their work with clients in supervision, but usually without details that would identify you.

The limits

There are a few situations where a counsellor may need to share information, ideally after talking to you first:

• If they believe you or someone else is at serious risk of harm
• If a child or vulnerable adult is at risk (safeguarding)
• If the law requires it, for example certain information about terrorism, or a court order

Your counsellor should explain their own limits at the start, often in a written agreement. If anything is unclear, ask.

Your records

Most counsellors keep brief notes. These should be stored securely, and under UK data protection law you have the right to ask to see the information held about you. You can ask your counsellor how they keep notes and for how long.