If a therapist breaks confidentiality the therapist can be sued by their clients and even get into trouble with the state licensing board and even lose their license to be a therapist.
However HIPPA does allow a therapist to secure their client's permission to share certain information that is relevant with a health insurance company so they can be reimbursed for any claims.
A therapist cannot tell the police if you did something illegal as doing so violates the patients confidentiality laws and they could lose their license.
You can tell a therapist about illegal things and they cannot report it to the police on the grounds of confidentiality laws.
You can tell a therapist anything and anything you say to the therapist they cannot share with others.
Even if you confess to your therapist that you are guilty of multiple robberies, rapes, or murders, therapists cannot report this information to the police, as it violates patient confidentiality laws if they do.
The amount of information you share with a therapist is entirely up to you.
After all, you're the client.
Still, the more honest you are with your therapist, the better.
Giving your therapist a window into your thoughts, feelings, and experiences provides them with context and details, so they can best help you.
If you're a minor you cannot go to a therapist without telling your parents.
To be seen by a therapist you will need to provide informed consent from a parent or legal guardian.
Minors cannot provide the consent needed for therapist treatment or mental health treatment on their own.
A small number of states make exceptions for sensitive issues like mental health but the majority of states require parental consent to be treated or seen for mental health including going to a therapist.
However while you require parental consent to be seen by a therapist the therapist cannot tell your parents what you discuss with them unless you're really young.
Therapists are confined by confidentiality laws that protect what you say to the therapist.
So the therapist will not tell your parents what you say unless you consent to the therapist doing so in writing.
Legally speaking, people under the age of 18 do not typically have a right to confidentiality in therapy.
However, some therapists ask parents to agree to the therapist's confidentiality rules before they will treat the client.
While state laws cover alcohol and drug abuse, some specify only one or the other.
Some states prohibit disclosure to parents, some leave this to the physician's discretion, and others require disclosure under certain circumstances.
Therapists who break confidentiality laws may be sued by clients in some cases, and they can get into trouble with state licensing boards as a result.
HIPAA does also allow a therapist to secure a client's permission to share relevant information with a health insurer for the purpose of being reimbursed for claims.
Even if you confess to your therapist that you are guilty of multiple robberies, rapes, or murders, therapists cannot report this information to the police, as it violates patient confidentiality laws if they do.
The amount of information you share with a therapist is entirely up to you.
After all, you're the client.
Still, the more honest you are with your therapist, the better.
Giving your therapist a window into your thoughts, feelings, and experiences provides them with context and details, so they can best help you.