AboutGraig Yarbrough Expertise I can answer questions regarding who you are and how you relate to others. I can show you how negative thoughts and emotions block the real you from showing through. I can show you how to be comfortable with yourself. I can offer you a way of seeing life that puts you in control. I can help you to see the potential that you are. I can not answer questions about what kind of medication or drugs you might need.
Experience I have been counseling here on AllExperts for over five years. I have over 100 hours in personal counseling. I have experience in both individual and group counseling. I am an advocate of Energy Psychology and a practitioner of (Emotional Freedom Technique) EFT. I am a practitioner of The Release Technique. I thoroughly enjoy helping other people with the knowledge I have to share!
Education/Credentials I have a B.A Degree and many hours of self-study. I have about 120 graduate hours in sociology. I was an Equal Opportunity Advisor for the US Army for three years. I am US Army Retired.
I am a graduate of the US Army Primary Leadership Course, Basic Non-commissioned Officers Course, and Advanced Non-commission course. I am a graduate of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute.
I have asked questions at AllExperts.com but never come into the "couseling" category before now. Because I've gotten great help in other categories in the past, I thought it worth a shot to try you.
I also saw in "past answers" that you have helped at least one journalist/writer, so I assume you get these type of questions occasionally.
I am a journalist as well as writing my first novel. Been a newspaper and magazine journalist for more than 15 years, so I am familiar with "confidentiality" practices among a lot of professionals, like lawyer-client, CPA-client or doctor-patient etc. When it comes to mental health counseling, I am aware there are confidentiality practices that are typically observed.
I'm writing a scene in my novel which is murder mystery. The victim is named Lawrence and the sleuth and the cops are trying to figure out what happened in the victim's last days, etc
Lawrence had just started seeing a counselor to deal with some personal issues, not psychiatrist but someone with Master of Social Work credentials.
Lawrence's wife Jenny got the ball rolling by encouraging Lawrence to seek counseling, and Jenny also spoke to the Counselor on her own initiative BEFORE Lawrence ever made any visit to the Counselor.
The reason for Jenny talking to the counselor was her "desire" to voice her worries to the counselor about Lawrence being stressed; bottling up conflicted emotions about some family secrets he uncovered etc. In other words, Jenny was never "officially" a client or patient, she was merely saying, "help my hubbie, and here's why."
so my questions are:
(1) Since Lawrence was murdered, can the police question the Counselor about Lawrence's state of mind and/or examine the Counselor's files re Lawrence? Or, are Lawrence's visits/sessions to the counselor still considered confidential anyway?
BTW, the story takes place in California, if these laws/practice vary from state to state, does it matter?
(2) Can the police question the Counselor, examine any written or typed notes the Counselor took from Jenny conversations with Counselor? (remember, Jenny spoke ABOUT the client, which was Lawrence, but was never a client herself)
thanks! And if you think I'm better off asking someone else these questions, please don't hesitate to refer me.
Lydia
Answer Hi Lydia,
I do not know the answer to that question.
You would have to check with the State of California to see what their laws state.
I do know there is an attorney/client privilege and it is considered inviolate.
In some cases, that privledge can be broken but they are specialized cases.
