I am sending this email to inquire about my reporting obligations. A client of mine recently told me about another therapist they are seeing for alcohol abuse. The client mentioned some unethical behaviour the therapist regularly engages in; e.g. the therapist would drink alcohol with the client to the point of black-out. Recently they went to a bar, and the therapist was inebriated to the point that he was first “cut off”, after which he was actually thrown out of the bar. In addition, while they were at the bar, he told numerous people that he was my client’s therapist when my client went to the bathroom.

I do not know the name of the therapist, but I know that he is not a psychologist. My client doesn’t want me to report him and will not give me the therapist’s name.

I am contacting the Board for some guidance regarding what my obligation would be in this case.

I have been advised of the following.

If this were a psychologist, it would be a significant breach of conduct which should be reported immediately. In this case, even where the individual is not identified as a psychologist, it would a breach for any healthcare professional, which would raise concerns about the risk of harm to self, patients & others, and consequently should still be reported.

You would be able to speak to the main regulatory bodies of other mental health professionals in NS (Counselling Therapists, Social Work, College of Physicians) to see if they would provide any guidance / documentation, particularly if they might have any information that you could share with your client that may provide some more information about what processes exist and/or to further explain why it is important for you to have the name in order to report this serious breach. It may eventually be possible, if agreed by the client, to only supply the name of the therapist without sharing the client’s name. Each regulatory body would likely have means in their legislation in order to obtain additional information to complete an investigation if they have the regulated member’s name.

As you are no doubt aware, the Code of Ethics states the following:7. Bring concerns about possible unethical actions of a more serious nature (e.g., actions that havencaused or could cause serious harm; actions that are considered misconduct in the jurisdiction) tonthe person(s) or body(ies) best suited to investigating the situation and to stopping or offsetting thenharm.

Additionally, if necessary, confidentiality could be breached, in circumstances such as those outlined below.

II.43 Act to stop or offset the consequences of seriously harmful activities being carried out by another psychologist or member of another discipline, when there is objective information about the activities and the harm. This may include reporting to the appropriate regulatory body, authority, or committee for action, depending on the psychologist’s judgment about the person(s) or body(ies) best suited to stop or offset the harm, and would be consistent with the privacy and confidentiality rights and limitations of the individuals and groups involved. (See Standards I.45 and IV.17.)