Can Seeing a Therapist Affect Your Job?

[napoleandynamite]

Recently, I've decided to see a mental health counselor for my anxiety disorder. Since I'm in the field of working with people with MR/DD, is there a chance my therapist could report to my agency that I am seeing a mental health professional? Or could the word that I'm seeing a therapist get around somehow? If so, could that effect my position? Just concerned before I make any stupid moves.

[Curmudgeon]

The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as well as case law in numerous court cases all hold that the only time a counselor may disclose the fact that someone is in therapy is if the person communicates a threat to harm themselves or another person.

 

If the therapist discloses anything, even just the fact that you're being seen, they could and should lose their license to practice.

 

It's NOT a stupid move and your question reveals the unfortunate reality of the stigma that still attends mental health issues. Especially in the DD arena, counseling should be well understood as many DDs are also MI. Regardless, it's no one's business but yours and if your job was threatened because of it you'd have a great lawsuit to pursue under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

 

By the way, I used to work in DD and now work in mental health, politically, so I'm well aware of the protections I mentioned.