The Biblical Counseling Personal Data Inventory

Confidentiality is an important and vital aspect of the counseling relationship. To that end, I my representatives agree to carefully guard the information entrusted to us by counselees to the fullest
extent possible.
I am expected to protect the information I receive in order to ensure the integrity of the counseling process and the privacy of the counselee.
Under certain circumstances, however, it may be necessary to reveal information obtained in the counseling process in order to uphold the principles of Scripture and/or the laws of the state of Pennsylvania. A Biblical Counselor does not hold to the legal concepts of the priest/penitent, doctor/ patient, psychotherapist/patient, or counselor/counselee privileges.
Situations wherein it may become necessary to reveal otherwise confidential information include, but are not limited to:
1. Where a counselee, although encouraged to renounce a particular sin refuses to do so, it may become necessary to seek the assistance of others in the church to encourage repentance and reconciliation in accordance with the Scriptures (cf. Proverbs 15:22, 24:11; Matthew 18:15-20). In said cases, only such information as is necessary to deal with that particular sin will be revealed.
Further, said information will only be revealed to those biblically required to be involved. To that end, it may become necessary to contact the pastor and/or other elders of a counselee’s home church.
2. Counselors, uncertain as to how a particular issue should be addressed, may reveal necessary information to and seek assistance from another counselor or pastor. Specific names and/or identifying information will be omitted or generalized so as to guard the privacy of the counselee in such circumstances.
3. Where a counselee threatens to harm himself/herself or another person, it may become necessary to notify the proper legal authorities, family members, pastor, intended victim, or all of the above. If the counselee makes such threats in the context of a counseling session, the counselor will, upon receiving the information, consult with another counselor, if such is available, who will work with them to assess the situation and assist in making the appropriate notifications, if necessary.
4. If a counselor is privy to evidence that abuse or any crime has been or is about to be committed, it may be necessary to reveal such to the legal authorities. This would include but would not be limited to adult and domestic abuse, child abuse, or sexual abuse of any kind.
5. The Biblical Counseling recognizes that in the course of the loving discipline of their children, Christian parent may employ corporal punishment, in accordance with the teachings of Scripture and, in conformity with those Scriptures, the Biblical Counseling supports a parent’s right to do so. However, if, in the course of counseling, the counselor comes to believe that a child under 18 years of age has been physically or sexually abused, or by any act or failure to act has suffered non-accidental serious physical injury or non-accidental serious mental injury, or has suffered serious neglect, the counselor will immediately contact the appropriate legal authorities in conformity with PA Act 153. If the counselor is uncertain if a minor child has been abused or neglected (as described above), the counselor will immediately consult with the another counselor or Pastor who will assist in assessing the situation.
 If in the consultation process it is then suspected that abuse has occurred, the legal authorities will be contacted in conformity with PA Act 153. If the another counselor or pastor are not available for consultation in this second scenario, the Counselor will contact the appropriate legal authorities without employing the above consultation process. When counseling someone who is under familial authority, the counselor may encourage the counselee to inform the familial authority
and/or the counselor may need to inform them.

Please be assured that I strongly prefer not to disclose your personal information and will make every effort to resolve a problem as privately as possible. Where appropriate, and when possible, permission to disclose information with necessary parties will be sought from the counselee. Information will only be shared when deemed biblically wise and necessary and when sharing that information is in the counselee’s best interests.