Confidentiality and ethics

Our counsellors are professionally qualified and adhere to the Codes of Ethics of relevant professional organisations, such as the New Zealand Association of Counselling (NZAC). What is talked about during the session is strictly confidential within the MIT Health Centre, unless you give permission for it to be shared with anyone else.

Each counsellor receives regular clinical supervision from an external supervisor. They may discuss within supervision aspects of how you and the counsellor work together so that you receive the best possible support from our service.

You can expect confidentiality when working with a counsellor, this means we will not share your information or the content of our counselling sessions with anyone, unless there is a safety concern.  

Below are examples of when information may be given without your permission in the following circumstances.

• Incapacity: when, in the professional opinion of the counsellor, you cannot give permission yourself, this permission is sought from those who are able to look after your interests, e.g. next of kin.
• Legal requirements: If we are compelled by law to disclose information, then we may have to do so in certain very limited circumstances.
• Safety: If the counsellor believes that you or someone else is at risk of serious and immediate harm, a counsellor, usually after consulting a professional colleague, may, disclose sufficient information to another person to enable them to assist you or the person in danger.

Confidentiality and its limits are discussed in the first counselling session and you can talk further with a counsellor if you have questions.  If you have questions about NZAC’s Code of Ethic’s please click on the link below: http://www.nzac.org.nz/