Review of some basic principles of ethics as it applies to pastoral care and counseling, especially as it applies to chaplaincy.

1. Bukal Life Care
www.bukallifecare.org
Confidentiality and Ethics
in Pastoral Care &
Counseling

2. A few Questions:
•
Have you ever told someone something
in confidence, only to discover later that
the confidence was not kept?
•
How did you feel after the discovery?
•
What were some repercussions of the
violation?

3. Two examples (based on actual cases)
•
Pastor Paolo’s Story
•
Within 24 hours of
sharing his struggles of
sexual temptation in his
church with a
confidential pastoral
support group, Pastor
Paolo’s secrets
became the topic of
gossip in his own
church and across the
region.
•
Tomas’ Story
•
Soon after seeking help
with a counselor about
doubts of faith, the
mission agency where
Tomas works tells him
that if he has problems
with what the
organization believes
in, he should find
another job.

4. Confidentiality: The Promise of Free and
Open Discussion
•
People commonly grow when they are able
to share their concerns and fears with
someone they can trust.
This is the FOUNDATION of the pastoral care
relationship: MUTUAL TRUST.
What is said should not go beyond the
caregiver-client relationship (or the group
sharing relationship). This allows the help-
seeker to talk openly and freely.

5. When Confidentiality is Broken…
•
The Relationship is Destroyed. It is difficult to trust
someone else with one’s secrets and struggles, and
it takes time. When confidence is breached, trust is
lost, and the care-seeker may never open up to you
or anyone else again.
The Care-Seeker is Put in Danger. Like in our previous
examples, information given to the wrong people
can lead to disgrace, or loss of job, or break up of
family, or worse.
EVERYONE loses when a confidence is breached.

6. Keeping sacred secrecy
•
“Not only is a care receiver’s explicit sharing and
confessing of a sin to be held confidential;
whatever else he or she may say during the course
of our conversations must remain between us also.”
We are not to reveal the pastoral care relationship or
anything that they say to us, EVEN if they reveal this
themselves.
As caregivers, we provide the assurance of sacred
secrecy for the counselee’s protection.

7. The Confidentiality covenant
I promise to keep whatever is shared within the
confines of this counseling relationship (or support
group). Though I may encourage you to share beyond
your immediate comfort level, I vow to not push you to
share things about yourself that you prefer to keep
undisclosed.
The promise of confidentiality should be explained to
the counselee from the moment of our ministering to
them.

8. Common pitfalls in confidentiality
• Telling a third person a story with the caution,
“Don't tell anyone else, but...” is still breaking
confidentiality.
• Expressing an entrusted secret to others as “I have
a prayer request....” is still breaking confidentiality.
• Sharing “good news” that you were supposed to
keep confidential is still breaking confidentiality.
• Taking pictures or notes, or taping sessions,
without express permission of the client and
agreement of what will be done with them… is still
breaking confidentiality.

9. What about consultation and
supervision?
Counselors do periodically share cases with
colleague for advice, professional
development, or research. However, such
cases should be handled in such a way that
the client's identity is kept confidential.

10. Concealing identity
•
Refer to the care receiver by some fictitious name
that will hide their true identity.
“Tonight, I want to share some of my ministering to a
man I’ll call Jhun. Jhun is not his real name…”
•
Make other changes in the presentation of data if
this information will makes the identity of the client
obvious.
•
“…and for purposes of our discussion, I am
going to say that…”

11. When must a confidence be revealed?
•
There are some exceptions to the principle of
confidentiality:
1. Clear indications from care receiver that he (she)
will do significant harm to self.
2. Clear indication from care receiver that he (she)
will do significant harm to another.
If one of these two occur, contact one's supervisor
(or one having a supervisory role) immediately.

12. A “Gray Zone” in Confidentiality
•
Sometimes, one may be asked by an organization
to provide counseling for one of its members, and
to provide reports to that organization. Situations
may include:
− Pastoral Restoration Process
− Counseling in a school setting
− Chaplaincy where the chaplain is part of
an integrated care team.
Good boundaries and communication are critical.

13. The issue of ethics
•
Every therapeutic relationship presents ethical
dilemmas: situations where moral decisions on how
we are to act and proceed must be based on what
is best for the client’s growth and safety and on
what will prevent harm.
•
Confidentiality is just one of many issues in ethics:
• Confidentiality is ethical when it protects the client
and the healing process, and
• It is unethical when it hides intentions of self-harm or
harm of others (the harm outweighs the value of
secrecy).

14. Ethics in Pastoral care
•
While this by no means encompasses all of the
potential ethical issues that could arise during the
provision of pastoral care, a few of the most
common ones are:
• Proselytizing – when is the right time to share the Gospel?
When is it unethical and ill-advised?
• Exploitation – is the therapeutic relationship being
misused/abused?
• Avoiding/Targeting – are there people whom I am giving
special attention? More importantly, are there people I am
ignoring?
• Self-Limits and Referral – when should I seek outside help?

15. Proselytizing
•
As Christians, we are called to share our faith and
the Gospel to others. In many pastoral care settings,
this is perfectly ethical and justified:
• Pastoral care in the Church
• Pastoral care to fellow believers
• Situations where we are asked about our faith
• Situations where permission is given to evangelize, or
evangelism is expected by the recipients
However, there are also times when evangelism
becomes unethical. (The term proselytizing includes
both sharing one’s faith, and seeking to get people
to join one’s faith group.)

16. Inappropriate Proselytizing occurs when…?
•
A person is trapped (such as in a hospital bed), and
no permission to proselytize is given.

When the person has asked not to be proselytized.

When you are in a place or institution where it is
agreed that counseling will be done with no
proselytizing. Hospitals, jails, and restricted disaster
zones are examples of these.
In these situations, proselytizing becomes unethical:
the act is unwanted by the client and/or governing
authority, and intrusive on personal/institutional
rights to refuse proselytization. The code of proper
conduct has been broken.

17. Unwanted proselytizing means
ineffective proselytizing.
•
Even if one argues that sharing the Gospel is a
“greater good” than following the wishes of the
client/institution, the fact that proselytizing was
unwanted in the first place will almost always render
it ineffective.
•
If the pastoral caregiver is breaking the rights of the
client to refuse proselytization by sharing the Gospel
without permission, then what message does this
send about our faith? It is more likely to draw
people away from Christ than bring them nearer.

18. Ill-advised proselytizing
When people have gone through a traumatic life event,
their minds do not work properly, and they don't need
more chaos in their life like a major life decision. Typically,
they cannot respond effectively to the Gospel. (You might
get them to mumble the words you want them to say, but
they haven't changed.)
It is better to demonstrate God's love in a tangible and
recognizable way, and leave proselytizing until a time they
have stabilized.

19. A Better Way
A better way to share your faith
verbally in counseling is from I Peter
3:15b
Always be prepared to give an
answer to everyone who asks you
to give the reason for the hope
that you have. But do this with
gentleness and respect,

20. Exploitation
• Exploitation occurs when the counseling session becomes
used for the benefit of the counselor, more than that of the
client. This includes:
•
Sexual exploitation,
•
Financial exploitation,
•
Emotional exploitation, and
•
Seeking personal, professional, and/or social
advantages that could perhaps be obtained from the
client.
As soon as the counselor loses focus on the needs of
the client and starts focusing on his or her own needs,
it is time to end that relationship and, perhaps, refer to
another counselor.

21. Exploitation: Sexual boundaries
• Sexual impropriety is a very common issue in the
counseling profession, due to the private and
personal nature of the therapeutic relationship.
Sexual boundaries must be kept with vigilance.
• If you are sexually attracted to the client, but you
tell yourself, “I can keep this under control...”
Watch out. It is best to refer to someone else, fast.
• NOTE: The reverse can also be a problem, when
the client is sexually attracted to you. In fact, this
can be quite common.

22. Exploitation: Institutions
Exploitation doesn't happen only when the
counselor's wants are given priority over what is
best for the client...
It also occurs when the well-being of an institution is
given priority over what is best for the client...

Protecting the (church, government) from scandal
or legal action rather than helping a victim.

Prioritizing “saving the marriage” over protecting
the abused.
<Institutions, such as religion, governance, marriage,
education, and more, are strengthened by
accountability, not weakened.>

23. Avoiding and targeting
• Perhaps not strictly an ethical issue, but some
counselors (especially in a hospital or jail setting)
may target certain people and/or avoid others.
This may be for many reasons, but it becomes
unethical when it is for reasons of bias or
prejudice.
• Be careful in this. Consider:
•
Why am I avoiding this person?
•
Why do I prefer to talk to that person?
There may be times when it is good to avoid a potential client
for some reason, but be sure to understand why, and see if
one can help in some other way.

24. Avoiding/targeting on the basis of faith
•
In a hospital situation, for example, a Christian
chaplain may seek out fellow Christians, but avoid
Muslims, INCs, Atheists, and so forth. That is not
acceptable. They are part of your “parish,” and you
should make the effort to reach out to them.
•
Ask first if they want to talk before making a
judgment call. You may be surprised by their
willingness to talk, and even if they decline, they will
(probably) appreciate that you offered.

25. Self-Limits and referral
• God created us as limited beings. We are limited
in time and space, we are limited in knowledge
and wisdom, we are limited in role and
perspective.
• A wise person knows his or her own limits and
honestly accepts them.
This includes our role and our abilities as pastoral care
providers.

26. Referral is a Team effort.
• Some ministers like to say things like, “I can do all
things through Christ who strengthens me.” But
consider that perhaps Christ has strengthened you to
get help or to refer your client to a specialist.
• The Body of Christ is composed of limited members
who strengthen and support each other. In the same
way, “referral is a means of using a team effort to help
a troubled person.” (Clinebell, 1984)
It is a sign of strength and maturity, not weakness, for clients
to know that they need help. The same applies to
counselors.

27. Know your referral resources.
•
Know what services or specialists are available in
your community who can help you be a good
counselor (psychiatric services, social workers,
lawyers, substance abuse clinics).
•
Know the laws that can protect or help your client.
•
Know counselors or lay people with special training
or experiences who are willing to help in special
situations.
If you don't know where to go, find out.

28. Who should be referred to specialists?
•
Those whose needs obviously surpass the minister’s time
and/or training.
•
Those who need medical care (meds) and/or
institutionalization.
•
Those about the nature of whose problem one is in
doubt.
•
Those who are severely depressed and/or suicidal.
•
Those toward whom the minister has a strong negative
reaction or intense sexual attraction.
When you are in doubt—refer.

29. A Final Note
There are times when confidentiality and
ethics become difficult... Sometimes, it is hard
to know what is right and what is wrong. Find
WISE colleagues/counselors/ supervisors, who
can help you.
A good counselor needs a counselor. It is
difficult to hear the emotional turmoil of others
over and over again, without a support
system…

30. A Final Note
He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what
does the Lord require of you

but to do justice,

and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)
Seek the intersection of love and justice for
the client, and humble obedience to God
in oneself.
“

31. References
Clinebell, H. (1984). Basic Types of Pastoral Care and Counseling:
Resources for the ministry of healing and growth. Abingdon Press;
Updated, Revise Version.
Howe, L. (2000). A Pastor in Every Pew: Equipping laity for pastoral care.
Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.
Munson, Robert and Celia (2016). The Art of Pastoral Care. Baguio City,
Bukal Life Care.
Syllabus, Participant handout (2011). Pastoral Care & Ministry. Diploma
in Lay Ministry, Whitworth University. Retrieved from
https://www.whitworth.edu/
FaithCenter/ClergyLay/Certificates/PastoralCaresyllabus2011.htm