Not confidential: Therapist considerations in self-disclosure

Debate on the practice of therapist self-disclosure in psychotherapy has included some discussion of therapist vulnerability but very little on the actual rule of confidentiality. This rule extends confidentiality to the patient (unless the patient threatens to hurt self or others) but not to the therapist. This article explores when and why therapists might choose to be explicit with patients about their oven vulnerability due to the asymmetry of confidentiality. (C) 2005 by the Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.