Infidelity and Confidentiality: A Dilema for Therapists

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Recommended: Ethical issues in clinical counseling

Counseling couples who are attempting to overcome the betrayal of infidelity together pose a unique challenge to most therapists. In addition, a couple where one spouse admits to an affair to the therapist without their spouse’s knowledge can be equally distressing to said counselor.
What are the ethical concerns regarding this scenario? In one case we are keeping our client’s confidences, building trust and following all ethical codes of confidentiality. In another case, we could possibly cause harm by keeping the client’s spouse in the dark about the affair. The fact that we aid the spouse in harboring this secret can backfire once the spouse finds out that we were well aware of any and all high-risk behavior that will cause emotional distress as well as put him or her in the direct path of potentially deadly sexually transmitted diseases. In my research paper, I will discuss if it is ethical to breech the confidentiality of one client in order to prevent harm to another client.
According to Marin, Christensen and Atkins (2014), marriage is an institution in which affairs are commonplace. In the United States alone, the statistics for extramarital affairs range from 20 to 40 percent while multiple affairs have been reported from divorcees. These affairs are linked to an increase in marriages that are plagued with misery, arguments and separations.
There are clinical, as well as ethical challenges involved with counseling clients who are in the midst of an infidelity crisis. Not only must therapists be skilled, but they must also be vigilant to anticipate any conflicts of interest due to the fact that they are counseling multiple clients. At the same time they must fully understand the laws and eth...

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...omodation of Infidelity Secrets: An Early Pivot Point in Couple Therapy. Part 2:Therapy Ethics, Pragmatics, and Protocol. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 265-283.
Gordon, K. B. (2004). An Integrative Intervention For Promoting Recovery From Extramarital Affairs. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 213-231.
Illinois, S. o. (2014). Joint Committee on Administrative Rules:Administrative Code:Unprofessional Conduct. Retrieved 5 4, 2014, from Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation: http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/068/068013750C02250R.html
Marin, R. C. (2014). Infidelity and Behavioral Couple Therapy: Relationship Outcomes Over 5 Years Following Therapy. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 1-12.
Synder, D. &. (2005). Treating Infidelity: Clinical and Ethical Directions. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1453-1465.

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