Confidentiality

[LozzyX]

I am due to start counselling soon via NHS referral
Thing is I’m worried about how open I can be about my situation with my husband. He is an addict and his mental health is very poor. He doesn’t use at work and he has sober times (hence I always stay sucked in when I think he’s going to be ok….althoug it’s in his sober times He can get be so much more difficult !). He works (detail removed by Moderator) and I’m worried if I open up they will break my confidentiality to report him (will raise concerns (detail removed by Moderator)). I’m scared of the consequences to be honest. He will know the concerns stem from me. I’ve stupidly been open about the fact I’m going to get counselling in one of our more “normal” moments (which quickly disappear the minute he hears something he doesn’t like or things don’t go his way)… So already he’s onto me about what will I tell them . Just worried now I cannot be fully open and similar to my last attempt at counselling I won’t really get what I need out of this and end up talking myself back into thinking things aren’t really that bad.

[Lisa]

Hi LozzyX,

Thank you for your post. I’m sorry to hear about your situation.

Its understandable that you are worried this won’t be a safe space for you and concerns you can’t speak freely. You have a right to ask the counsellor about their confidentiality policy. Its support for you and its important you get what you need out of it.

Take care and keep posting

Lisa

[swanlake]

My abuser used to be on the sex offenders register that places certain restrictions on people. Now that they are no longer on the register they are making the most of not having to comply. I’ve talked freely in counselling about the risks that they pose to the public.
I guess that what I’m trying to say is that the bar is surprisingly high for breaching confidentiality. One in ten people apparently drives whilst drunk and who knows how many under the influence of drugs prescribed or otherwise. It’s your husband’s responsibility to look after his own mental health and substance use and his workplace’s responsibility to support workers with mental health and substance use.
I’m also doing more counselling at the moment. Hopefully it will help us both with healing.

[LozzyX]

I’ve been messed around with the counselling I was told was being arranged , they have now offered me CBT instead. CBT is what helped me stay in the mess so long , managing to try and turn all my negative thoughts into positive ones …not appreciating that sometimes we need those thoughts and our instinct to run away from danger.

Feeling desperate and alone right now 😔 I will contact the service next week to try see what’s going on and why I ended up having a referral for CBT which the assessor said was not going to do me any good

[Lisa]

Hi LozzyX,

I am sorry to hear things have not gone as you hoped with counselling. You are doing the right thing by finding out why the referral was changed. I hope you have some answers soon and you can start counselling.

Keep us posted.

Best wishes,

Lisa

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