Assignment task:
Confidentiality. A group leader mentions to his group at a pre-group meeting that he is required to take notes regarding member progress and that these notes are part of the member's record. He announces that what they say may not be kept confidential, and that he will not show them what he is writing in their file. This group leader has not taken any measures to secure informed consent as his rationale is that the members in this group have no choice about membership- they are patients of a prison hospital for mental disorders and are expected to participate in group as part of their treatment.
Do you see ethical issues in this case? Do you agree or disagree with his practice of not sharing his therapy notes with his patients? What might you do differently? What are your thoughts on the empathy of this counselor and how it might affect the process of the group?