Self-disclosure can have several other positive points, including (Henretty et al., 2014):
- Revealing similarity between the client and counselor
- Offering a more favorable perception of the counselor as a professional
- Increasing clients’ willingness to return and continue treatment
When to use self disclosure?
use of self-disclosure to include ethical violations, boundary crossing, and clinical modality misinterpretation that can lead to a client not buying into the agency (NASW, 2017). Self-disclosure is the sharing of personal information to another individual: whether the information is superficial, private, or factual. One also communicates
What are the stages of self disclosure?
Seven stages of stress and anxiety to look out for after Mrs Hinch's disclosure
- Drone Zone. “The ‘drone zone’ is the zone where you experience no stress at all. ...
- C Zone. “The C zone is the ideal state to be in, where you’re cool, calm and collected. ...
- Fatigue Zone. “The Fatigue zone is where stress starts to build up and your performance might start to decline. ...
- Exhaustion Zone. ...
- Ill-Health Zone. ...
- Panic Zone. ...
- Burnout Zone. ...
When to use self disclosure in counseling?
engaging in self-disclosure. One counselor interviewed for this column described the reasons she might consider using self-disclosure as “emphasizing that counseling is a safe space to explore difficult and complex experiences and navigate the associated feelings, thereby supporting the client by reinforcing strengths, building resilience
How does self-disclosure affect relationships?
Self-disclosure brings numerous benefits to romantic relationships, such as:
- Feeling emotionally connected to your partner
- Being happier in the relationship
- Feeling loved by your partner
- Developing stronger trust for your partner
- Partners feeling a sense of being needed by each other
- Reporting higher relationship quality
- Stronger commitment to the relationship
- Understanding each other better
Is self-disclosure unethical in counseling?
Therapists can violate the above principles through self-disclosure that is ex-cessive, seductive, exploitative, or narcissistic/exhibitionistic. Unethical self-disclosure may also occur because the therapist wishes solely to unburden himself or herself of some concern, with no foreseeable benefit to the patient.
Does a therapist ever need to disclose any personal information to clients?
Despite concerns raised, research suggests “in reality that therapists generally do disclose” personal information about themselves and their beliefs, and that it happens more often than many would assume (Danzer, 2019, p.
What should a therapist not do?
Here are some non-therapy things a mental health professional should never do in your session:Ask you for favors.Talk about things not related to why you're there.Make sexual comments or advances.Touch you inappropriately.Make plans with you outside the session that don't relate to your mental health.
Does therapist self-disclosure play any part in the expression of empathy?
Self-disclosure can be used to express empathy and to help these clients feel that their emotions and experiences are being validated.
What are the dangers of self-disclosure in counseling?
The Risks of Using Self-DisclosureOne of the most significant risks of counselor self-disclosure is a shift in treatment focus away from the client's needs and treatment goals. ... Excessive personal sharing by a counselor may be seen by the client as self-serving.More items...•
Should therapists share personal information?
When used sparingly, professionally and appropriately, counselor self-disclosure can build trust, foster empathy and strengthen the therapeutic alliance between counselor and client. However, counselor self-disclosure also holds the potential to derail progress and take focus off of the client.
What are red flags in a therapist?
What should therapists NOT do?Behave unethically. ... Take you as a client if they don't specialize in your issue. ... Overshare about themselves. ... Leave you feeling worse after your session – regularly. ... Make you feel judged, shamed, or emotionally exposed. ... Disrupt the session by divided attention. ... You just don't feel “right”
How does a therapist recognize a narcissist?
Grandiosity: They will act as though they are superior to everyone else. This is not always based on evidence, but they will believe themselves to be special. They need to be admired and adored, and will seek out people who mirror this specialness.
Can you tell your therapist too much?
The short answer is that you can tell your therapist anything – and they hope that you do. It's a good idea to share as much as possible, because that's the only way they can help you.
What are the disadvantages of self-disclosure?
Risks of Self-DisclosureRejection.Negative Impression.Decrease in Relational Satisfaction.Loss of Influence.Loss of Control.Hurt the Other Person.
What are some examples of inappropriate self-disclosure?
According to Zur (2010), one of the most cited examples of inappropriate self-disclosures are when practitioners discuss their own personal problems and hardships with their clients with no clinical rationale or purpose.
What are the pros and cons of self-disclosure?
Self-disclosure is a delicate issue. If you get it right, it can strengthen relationships, instill trust, and boost your ability to inspire and lead. But if you make unwise, inappropriate or untimely disclosures, or react badly when others divulge personal details, it can have the opposite effect.
What are red flags in a therapist?
What should therapists NOT do?Behave unethically. ... Take you as a client if they don't specialize in your issue. ... Overshare about themselves. ... Leave you feeling worse after your session – regularly. ... Make you feel judged, shamed, or emotionally exposed. ... Disrupt the session by divided attention. ... You just don't feel “right”
What are therapists legally required to report UK?
All counselling is confidential subject to the constraints of English law and ethical practice. Your counsellor has a legal duty to report anything to do with terrorism or acts of terror. If you were to disclose matters involving a serious/life-threatening risk of harm to self or others, they might have to act on it.
What do therapists report in California?
Under California law, psychotherapists, among others, are required to report to appropriate authorities when there is good reason to believe that a child or an elderly or dependent adult has been abused.
Will a therapist tell you your diagnosis?
You have specific rights when disclosing your diagnosis as a client receiving therapy. For example, it's your right to ask your therapist to tell you if they believe you have a mental health condition. If you want a diagnosis, you can ask your therapist upfront.
Should therapists self disclose?
To self-disclose or not to self-disclose? That is the controversial question. The stance on therapists’ self-disclosure varies widely based on theoretical orientation; classically trained psychoanalysts often avoid personal self-disclosure in an attempt to be a “blank slate” while it is not uncommon for counselors working in the substance abuse field to share their own recovery status with their patients. Some think that therapist self-disclosure shifts the focus of treatment away from the patient; others believe that therapist self-disclosure could help demystify the therapeutic alliance, model disclosure for the patient, normalize their experience, and challenge negative beliefs the patient might hold about their impact on others. There is little research examining whether therapist self-disclosure of different types may have a positive impact on patients’ non-disclosure and shame in patients with eating problems.
Is a therapist's self disclosure neutral?
Most therapist self-disclosures were rated between neutral and helpful. The researchers did not find differences between therapists’ personal self-disclosures and disclosures of intimacy. For both types of therapist self-disclosures, results indicated that the greater the perceived helpfulness of the therapist self-disclosure, ...
How to respond to a client in recovery?
A client in recovery might respond by saying they don’t think you can help them (if you, the therapist, have never suffered from addiction)… you can gently respond by saying something like therapists who treat schizophrenia don’t necessarily have schizophrenia… that’s simple & straight-forward.
What to consider when evaluating a client?
Consider the client’s culture/values, developmental stage, diagnosis/symptoms, reasons for seeking treatment, whether or not they tend to respect boundaries, etc.
Should a client hold back when talking about their father's death?
The client may feel he/she should hold back (example: a client may not want to bring up the loss of their father if you talked about how you struggled when your parent died several years ago)
Is there a blank answer to self disclosure?
I know, I know, that’s not the answer you’re looking for. But self-disclosure is a slippery slope, so there is no “blanket” answer to give.
Who should I talk to about self disclosure?
I also recommend that you regularly discuss self-disclosure with your supervisor (if you have one).
Do you need to give specifics?
Use caution. You don’t need to give specifics/a lot of details
Can you say "I know someone who" without self-disclosing?
Consider attributing your story to someone else ( i.e. “I know someone who…” or “I know of a situation when…”) In a way, you’re self-disclosing without self-disclosing! That allows you to get your message across without making it super personal
Do you need help & support with an issue you’re facing?from unlock.org.uk
We provide support and advice for people who need guidance with either their own, or someone else’s, criminal record.
What is constructive disclosure in counseling?from ct.counseling.org
I think the consideration of providing personal details to clients occurs regularly [but] believe situations when such disclosures are appropriate are few. Appropriate self-disclosure is client-focused, validates the client’s experience and spurs further exploration. A constructive disclosure is brief, focused on meaning and light on story.
What are the two types of self disclosure?from ct.counseling.org
Researchers often describe two types of self-disclosure: immediate and nonimmediate self-disclosure . Immediate refers to process self-disclosures from the counselor about their own feelings or ways of experiencing the relationship with the client.
Why do I use emotional self disclosure?from ct.counseling.org
I do, however, use emotional self-disclosure fairly frequently to validate and normalize client anger. Oftentimes, people who come to me for help with their anger feel shame, guilt or fear, and it has been helpful for them to hear that I am in alignment with them when they report an unfair or unjust event as the source of that emotional response. This disclosure does not include circumstances or stories from my life but instead remains strictly within the realm of emotion in the moment.
Why is it important to maintain clear roles and separation between client and counsellor?from opencolleges.edu.au
For these clients, maintaining clear roles and separation between client and counsellor helps to reinforce the therapeutic boundaries and minimise role confusion.
Why is it important to monitor client response to disclosure?from opencolleges.edu.au
Careful monitoring and frequent checking-in are important in order to gauge how the client is feeling about the therapeutic relationship.
Why is self disclosure important in therapy?from opencolleges.edu.au
Conversely, Cognitive Behavioural therapists believe that self-disclosure can be a useful tool in therapy as it models and reinforces new perspectives for the client. So basically, your therapeutic orientation is a powerful factor in determining whether revealing personal information to your clients is ok.
Why do therapists share personal information?
Hundreds of therapists in workshops I’ve led in the United States, Europe, and Latin America have said they share personal information to strengthen the therapeutic alliance, demystify therapy, and reduce the power differential between themselves and their clients. Given that research has found that the quality and nature of the therapeutic relationship–not the specific model or method–account for up to 30 percent of the variability in therapy outcomes, they’d appear to be on to something.
What is thoughtful therapy?
The thoughtful therapist is aware of different ways in which personal info might be revealed and works on ways not to have self-disclosure interfere with a client’s work. Above all else, it should not be about the shrink trying to get his/her own needs met.
What is unavoidable in therapy?
Unavoidable –when things about the therapist are observable, e.g., approximate age, ethnicity, gender
Do shrinks use self disclosure?
Possibly the only shrinks today who don’t sometimes use self-disclosure or at least deal with it to any significant degree are the traditional analysts, those who may still subscribe to the “Don’t just say something, sit there” strategy and who believe in a strict interpretation of the “blank screen” approach, i.e., “only if I am inscrutable to you can you do the important work of projecting your childhood stuff onto me.”
Do clients who don't self disclose often describe the experience as problematic?
Furthermore, Roberts cites research indicating “that clients working with therapists who don’t self-disclose often describe the experience as problematic.”
Who wrote Love and Loss in Life and in Treatment?
Psychoanalyst Linda B. Sherby addressed this in the process of writing Love and Loss in Life and in Treatment (2013), which is about the grief process related to the death of her husband George. Although she anticipated condemnation from other analysts regarding her self-disclosure she felt “it was important…to demonstrate how a therapist’s present life circumstances affects the therapeutic relationship because I do believe that particular aspect of the patient/therapist interaction has been largely ignored.”
Who said "T)he decision to self-disclose is based first and foremost on the welfare of the client?
Another psychologist, Ofer Zur , has said that “ (T)he decision to self-disclose is based first and foremost on the welfare of the client.” He acknowledges four types of therapist self-disclosure (“ Self-Disclosure and Transparency in Psychotherapy and Counseling “):
Using self-disclosure in therapy
First off, you need to recognize that self-disclosure is a tool in therapy. It’s a technique that you can use much like working through a thought log with someone or using the miracle question. That means it needs to be used with intention. It is SUPER common to have the urge to self-disclose as a therapist. It’s natural.
A positive outcome for clients
Self-disclosure should always have some goal to it. It’s not like a sneaky thing, but it need to be trying to facilitate something on the client’s end. I might disclose that I am a gamer or that I have fought MMA in the past, that I have a podcast and have built a brand etc.
The impact of self-disclosure
You asked how it has impacted me in my work. Honestly, there is usually at least one self-disclosure that REALLY helps with each client that I have. There’s something that helps them know that I really get their experience or opens up a new avenue of conversation and reliability. It has made the difference between someone being guarded and open.
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What is self-involving disclosure?
In self-involving disclosure the disclosure provided by the therapist can help the client gain insight about a behavior or symptom. In Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), this type of self-disclosure is used to help the client better understand the impacts of her behaviors. A DBT therapist once shared that he had a client call him repeatedly when in a crisis. The client had once left him 25 voicemails before the therapist could get back to her. The therapist took this opportunity to disclose how he reacted to these multiple phone calls in order to help the client gain insight of her behaviors and others (including her therapist’s) reactions to them.
What is self disclosure in therapy?
Self-disclosure is the revelation of personal information about the therapist during session. The clinical use of therapist self-disclosure is a highly debated topic. Some therapists air on the side of caution and take an objective stance in the room by not disclosing any personal information. In psychoanalytic theory, non-disclosure is the therapist’s standard position in order to conduct therapy within a strictly neutral frame (Hanson 2005). Non-disclosure can be viewed as a therapist’s ethical requirement, since self-disclosure can blur the lines of professional boundaries and cause ruptures in client-therapist alliance. Other therapies, such as humanistic therapy and feminist therapy, contends disclosure as both expected and desirable in order to empathize with the client and reduce power imbalances (Hanson 2005). Unlike, disclosure, the use of non-disclosure is not typically questioned or justified. But can self-disclosure always be avoided? What qualifies as therapist self-disclosure? Is self-disclosure a mistake or an inevitable part of all interpersonal relationships?
What information can a client use to find a therapist?
Clients can use the Internet to search therapist’s professional websites and blogs, educational and training information, professional experiences, orientations of treatment, but also personal information such as a therapist’s private social media pages , legal records, political affiliations, community and recreational involvement (Zur 2015). Some clients may have a strong reaction to information about their therapist that they discover via the web.
What is an accidental self disclosure?
Accidental self-disclosure occurs when there is a spontaneous verbal or non-verbal reaction (the raise of an eyebrow, a slight frown and an accidental yawn). Sometimes the therapist is unaware of these reactions or outside of her control. A therapist may have an unplanned negative response to a client’s statement (Zur 2015). Accidental self-disclosure may happen when a client and therapist run into each other outside of the office.
What is non-deliberate self-disclosure?
Non-deliberate self-disclosure includes a range of possibilities, such as therapist’s distinctive physical attributes, such as gender, age, visible tattoos, piercings, pregnancy, disability or injury (Zur 2015). A home office can reveal extensive non-deliberate self-disclosure, such as therapist’s economic status, neighborhood, community, family and pets. Therapists can present themselves by the manner in which they dress, the style of their hair, use of make-up, and adoring jewelry. Many clients pick up on these attributes, making assumptions of their own. After my engagement, a client admitted to taking notice to my ring and shared that she was happy for me. Even, a therapist’s announcement of a vacation can constitute as non-deliberate self-disclosure, especially if pressed to reveal where the vacation is to take place.
Is blogging a form of self disclosure?
If you adhere to the idea that a blog is like an online diary, where one can post messages and others can view and respond to these posts, then blogging may be seen as a form of a therapist ’s deliberate self-disclosure. When a person becomes a therapist, she does not give up the privileges of self-expression. However, there is a level of self-disclosure that naturally comes with any type of freedom of expression. A client gaining insight to a therapist’s viewpoint through their blog is not necessarily problematic, but one does need to be mindful about what this type of deliberate self-disclosure may do to the relationship. When publishing and maintaining my blog, I use good judgment and think about what affects my words may have on my current and prospective clients.
Is self disclosure a therapeutic gray area?
In summary, I acknowledge that self-disclosure tends to be a therapeutic gray area and therap ists often disagree on what amount of disclosure is appropriate. Some therapeutic orientations, such as humanistic, feminist and existential psychotherapies emphasize the importance of self-disclosure and transparency to reduce power differentials, build trust and enhance authentic therapeutic alliances (Hanson 2005). However, too much self-disclosure may risk the client viewing the therapist as a friend rather than a professional helper. Further poorly executed self-disclosure, can actually increase distrust by making the client feel as though the therapist is more focused on their own issues rather than those of the client (Ferraro, 2010). In cognitive and behavioral therapies, self-disclosure can be an effective vehicle for modeling, reinforcing and normalizing new techniques learned. By revealing failings and successes in the therapist’s life, it may convince the client of the effectiveness of the treatment. However, the client may feel that the therapist is impaired and unable to help them.
What is the second principle of disclosure?
First, it holds counselors responsible for clarity around intention. Second, it makes the purpose or intention clear to the client, as opposed to — and guards against the possibility of — a disclosure coming across as chitchatty, or as the counselor making the session about him/her.
What is constructive disclosure in counseling?
I think the consideration of providing personal details to clients occurs regularly [but] believe situations when such disclosures are appropriate are few. Appropriate self-disclosure is client-focused, validates the client’s experience and spurs further exploration. A constructive disclosure is brief, focused on meaning and light on story.
Why do counselors need to self-disclose?
As counselors, we may initially intend to self-disclose in order to promote client well-being, but self-disclosure can subtly and unwittingly begin to creep toward serving our own needs. The question of whether or not our self-disclosure is therapeutic for the client is not one that counselors should answer in isolation. Ongoing consultation with skilled, wise and competent supervisors and peers is an essential element of helping counselors answer this question.
What are the two types of self disclosure?
Researchers often describe two types of self-disclosure: immediate and nonimmediate self-disclosure . Immediate refers to process self-disclosures from the counselor about their own feelings or ways of experiencing the relationship with the client.
Why do I use emotional self disclosure?
I do, however, use emotional self-disclosure fairly frequently to validate and normalize client anger. Oftentimes, people who come to me for help with their anger feel shame, guilt or fear, and it has been helpful for them to hear that I am in alignment with them when they report an unfair or unjust event as the source of that emotional response. This disclosure does not include circumstances or stories from my life but instead remains strictly within the realm of emotion in the moment.
Why is it important to self-disclose in counseling?
Self-disclosure can help convey our humility, humanity and understanding. Research indicates that the most effective counselors are seen by clients as genuine, compassionate and accessible, and self-disclosure can help foster such perceptions.
Is Hagedorn a veteran?
Hagedorn is also a Marine Corps veteran who has served in combat. The disclosure of his military service “opened the door to share things that the client had never shared before, even with going to the Department of Veterans Affairs [for treatment] for years.
Why is self disclosure important in cognitive behavior therapy?
Although cognitive-behavior therapy emphasizes between-session change, therapist self-disclosure within the session can be an effective tool for strengthening the therapeutic bond and facilitating client change. After noting the use of self-disclosure in other theoretical orientations, we place self-disclosure in the context ...
What is self disclosure in therapy?
Although cognitive-behavior therapy emphasizes between-session change, therapist self-disclosure within the session can be an effective tool for strengthening the therapeutic bond and facilitating client change.
Do therapists need to observe boundaries when self-disclosing?
Therapists need to observe appropriate boundaries when self-disclosing, and in particular, should consider their own motivations for self-disclosing. Although more research is needed on the effects of self-disclosure, cognitive-behavior therapists have found that self-disclosure can be a powerful intervention.