In general, it is undoubtedly true that clinical psychologists encounter the complexity of human nature every day through their practice. Human thought and behavior are not something fixed. Biological, psychological and social factors combine together and, interacting with each other, lead to unique results in the lives of clients. When people enter therapy, regardless of their mental health problems, their common goal is to eliminate distress and learn to cope better with difficulties. In most cases the achievement of these goals is strongly related to the quality of the working alliance between the therapist and the client (Lambert & Barley, 2002). Revealing sensitive topics can make the client feel vulnerable and emotionally exposed during therapy sessions. Therefore, clinical psychologists have an ethical and legal duty to protect clients' privacy and assure them that information shared will remain confidential. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay At first glance, confidentiality may seem like a simple and clear-cut issue. However, in real life contexts it can be a complex concept to apply to the therapeutic context and is often limited for a number of reasons. Some people support the idea that confidentiality is essential to the therapeutic process and that client privacy should always be protected, while others argue that sharing information is more important and that confidentiality should be breached in certain circumstances. The purpose of this essay is to critically review these two different perspectives. Taking a step back and evaluating these conflicting views will allow us to formulate a deeper understanding on this controversial issue. In order to understand the importance of confidentiality in clinical psychological practice, it is essential to explore the meaning of its definition. The term refers to therapists' duty to refrain from sharing client information and to keep all records in a secure place in accordance with national legislation and policies (BPS, 2017). Confidentiality is one of the moral and legal obligations of psychologists and is included in the British Psychological Society (BPS) practice guidelines and other regulatory documents. According to Woody (1999), confidentiality is “the cornerstone of professionalism” (p.607). Considering all of the above, someone might clearly notice the ethical imperative of confidentiality, which may lead them to wonder why it is such a fundamental element of therapy. . To address this issue, it is really important to understand confidentiality as a part of the therapeutic process rather than simply a discrete, “one-off” procedure. First, it is reasonable to assume that confidentiality might lead to higher levels of self-disclosure. People who seek support from a therapist may experience a variety of symptoms or situations that they are not comfortable with. As a result, they may often feel embarrassed about expressing their thoughts and feelings (Younggren & Harris, 2008). To put it another way, without confidentiality, clients may be unwilling to communicate their secrets and deepest beliefs to the therapist or even lie about them to avoid feeling ashamed. In a recent survey, 93% of participants admitted to lying to their therapist (Blanchard & Farber, 2016). Among other reasons for lying, one of the main ones was feeling uncomfortable about the topic being discussed. Being dishonest or withholding information can easily lead toto a poor quality of service and undermine the positive outcome of the therapy. Conversely, granting them their privacy and maintaining confidentiality can help them feel safe by allowing them to reveal more information. In fact, there is some evidence to support this view. According to Woods and McNamara (1980), receiving a therapist's promise of confidentiality can influence the client's level of disclosure. Furthermore, in more recent work, researchers have concluded that confidentiality is one of the main factors contributing to clients' willingness to open up (Ignatius & Kokkonen, 2007). Furthermore, there has been much academic discussion about how confidentiality is linked to the effectiveness of clinical practice, with many professionals arguing that confidentiality is essential for effective psychotherapy. (Kobocow McGuire & Blau, 1983). Discussing confidentiality and giving consent is the first step in building a relationship of trust. In a qualitative analysis, which aimed to explore the experience of users of clinical psychology services on confidentiality and on informed consent, it was shown that all participants related their experience to the quality of the relationship they had developed with their therapist (Martindale, Chambers & Thompson, 2009 ). Reassuring clients that therapy is a safe place, where they can confess without fear, will likely lead to a strong therapeutic alliance. A strong therapist-client alliance in turn can influence the outcome of therapy (Ardito & Rabellino, 2011). With all of the above in mind, it is relatively easy to address the question of why confidentiality should be protected in any way possible. Discussing client data, outside of the therapeutic context and without their consent, can harm them in multiple ways and elicit great trust. “rift” between the therapist and the client. On the other hand, in certain circumstances the disclosure of information seems to be the only possible solution. The main reasons for this action are: to maximize the quality of service for customers, to safeguard customers or others and to attest in court (BPS, 2017, p.58-62). In any case, if information sharing is required, customers should be informed and give their consent whenever possible. Many times psychologists must disclose client information to third parties to facilitate treatment and promote client well-being. This can occur mainly in three different situations: supervision, working in multidisciplinary healthcare teams and informing family and healthcare professionals. During the therapeutic process, psychologists may encounter a wide range of dilemmas, which can make them feel uncertain about how to handle the situation. or which treatment to choose. Supervision addresses these issues by giving the clinical professional the opportunity to reflect on their cases and obtain advice, feedback and guidance whenever necessary. Indeed, evidence demonstrates that supervision in clinical practice addresses issues considered central to the successful outcome of psychotherapy (Weck, Kaufmann & Witthöft, 2017). Being supervised by someone with the right skills can make the professional feel safe, reduce the risk of systematic errors and improve the quality of therapy. Of course, during supervision sessions the information shared should be anonymous. In the other two situations the information cannot be anonymous, but the information shared should be limited and focused on how to improve customers' lives. In multidisciplinary healthcare teams, professionals work together to achieve a common goal. To help this goal, psychologists may need to share client datawith their team (Van Liew, 2012). For example, a diabetes clinic may have an endocrinologist, a dietitian, and a clinical psychologist working independently with the client. However, they will also collaborate with each other by sharing customer information. This will allow them to follow an integrated approach and achieve the best results. Psychological factors can have a great impact on physical health, therefore, not sharing customer information could lead to poor quality of services. Finally, psychologists can communicate information with family or caregivers. Many times people who come to therapy are not independent or need the help of others to manage activities of daily living. Vulnerable children or adults may have an environment with an interest conducive to therapy (BPS, 2017). Sharing specific information can have a positive impact on customers' lives. A good example of this would be an older adult with dementia, who may have maladaptive behavior due to their inability to communicate their needs effectively. By informing caregivers or family about the reasons for this behavior and guiding them to make appropriate adjustments, psychologists can provide a solution to a chronic problem and make a positive change in their client's life. However, the customer should be informed about who will have access to their information and give their consent. Looking at the above, it becomes evident that in some situations discussing customer information with others can be helpful and improve people's health. In addition to promoting client well-being, another important reason for breaching confidentiality is to safeguard the client or others. The term “safeguard” means to protect someone's rights and well-being (Care Quality Commission). There is a wide spectrum of abusive behavior, which can violate human rights and cause harm or even death. During psychotherapy, people may confess to a behavior or situation that may put them or others at risk or even put their lives at risk. For example, if a child is neglected or abused, the psychologist has an ethical duty to take all appropriate actions to prevent mistreatment and promote his or her well-being (BPS, 2017, p.39). Additionally, some people who attend therapy have suicidal ideations. Their psychologists should observe their behavior and value their clients' privacy over their protection. In case they decide there is a high risk, it is necessary to break confidentiality to prevent them from committing suicide. Finally, psychologists may share some information about their clients when they are asked to testify in court. Revealing information to the court can shed light on blind spots in a case and influence the outcome of a trial. Customers must be informed and their permission must be sought before disclosure. However, in cases where a psychologist is appointed by the court, they should inform everyone involved that they cannot guarantee confidentiality (BPS, 2017, p.61). All of the above situations demonstrate that in certain circumstances sharing information can improve well-being and minimize the risk of harm to the client and others. However, many argue that shifting focus from confidentiality as a primary obligation to risk management can lead to “…the dilution of the importance of confidentiality as an ethical imperative” (Donner et al., 2008). The complex nature of human problems complicates things and makes it difficult for psychologists to have a stable pattern to follow. The decision to disclose confidential material should never be an easy choice. The issues that.