Confidentiality

The essence of an effective therapeutic relationship is based on safeguarding a client's privacy. To the extent permitted by law, the Psychological and Counseling Center maintains complete confidentiality of all that is communicated between you and your counselor. Your written permission is required before any information about you, including acknowledgement of your contact with the Center, is released to anyone. Parents, deans, friends, and others do not even have access to information that you are a client here, unless you authorize us (both verbally and in writing) to release such information. {Certain extremely infrequent situations call for exception: life and death situations and child or elder abuse.}

Law students should be aware that some states ask for information about therapy experiences as part of the application for admission to the bar. In a few states, medical boards request this information as well. Similar information is requested by some religious denominations prior to ordination. Some federal agencies make inquiries regarding applicants for positions with them. In our experiences to date, we have responded to such requests with very brief summaries, which have sufficed. Such information is released only with your consent.

Psychological and Counseling Center | Vanderbilt University
Box 7707, Station B | Nashville, TN 37235-7707
615.322.2571 | (fax) 615.322.1326