What is the stated counselor's responsibility for client privacy?

• A. Counselors then have no responsibility to maintain the client's privacy.
• B. Counselors have primary responsibility to protect client confidentiality.
• C. Clients themselves are responsible for maintaining their privacy.
• D. Privacy is not a concern in counseling relationships.

Answer: (A)

Keeping what clients share private is a fundamental obligation in counseling. The counselor has the primary responsibility to protect client confidentiality, meaning information shared in sessions should not be disclosed without the client’s informed consent, except in specific, legally or ethically required situations. This duty includes outlining limits to confidentiality at the start, safeguarding records and communications, and ensuring privacy in the counseling environment and in any electronic records. There are recognized exceptions—such as imminent risk of harm, suspicion of abuse, or mandatory reporting laws—but outside those, the responsibility for maintaining privacy rests with the counselor. In contrast, saying the counselor has no responsibility, or that clients themselves must maintain privacy, or that privacy isn’t a concern, conflicts with ethical standards and the purpose of the therapeutic relationship.