BBSH UK 24-25 Advanced Studies Catalog - Flipbook - Page 26
The Spectrum of Confidentiality
There is a wide spectrum of confidential/not confidential
behavior. At the least confidential end of the spectrum is
gossip, saying anything about anyone at any time. At the
most confidential end is never talking about others but
speaking only about yourself and your own experience.
There are times when it is useful to discuss others.
It is useful and necessary for Teachers to discuss the
progress of their students with each other regularly,
and this discussion may include any aspect of the class
activity, including supervision groups. It will be useful
for you to discuss your client cases (with your client’s
permission) with your class Supervisor.
However, it is not usually necessary or constructive
to talk about people. What is valuable in conversations
is talking about your experience, not always telling stories
about others. It is important that we always look at our
own intention when we discuss others. Ask yourself:
“Why am I saying this about this person? Does my
talking about them contribute to their and my own
well-being?”
In class situations, as with clients, the more the students
(clients) and their actions are held to be confidential,
the more safety they have to fully express their personal
process and the parts of themselves they have been
reluctant to reveal. We encourage students to practice a
high level of confidentiality now so that they are fully
prepared to create a safe, secure environment for their
own clients when they begin their healing practices.
Please observe the following standards of confidentiality.
A high level of confidentiality is essential.
1. During class weeks, do not talk about other people
and their process. If you wish, share your personal
experiences, but you must be very careful not to
bring gossip into your sharing. This means not
talking about other students, their process, what
they said or what they did. If it serves no purpose
in your learning or in another’s process, then
it should not be talked about. Give your fellow
students the freedom to fully experience their
own process without outside comment, judgment,
or intervention.
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2. Nothing of a personal nature about another
student’s participation inside of class should ever
be talked about outside of the classroom. The
names of all participants in these classes are
confidential as well as their words and actions. Of
course, you can talk about the types of things that
are learned. We encourage you to talk about the
things you study and do in the learning process.
You can cover the full spectrum of activities, but
be sure not to compromise anyone’s privacy.
3. Be careful about misrepresenting the class work
to those outside of class. Many people do not
understand how and what we study and can be
threatened, confused, or fearful about our work.
Be sure that you are communicating with them in
a way that contributes to their own sense of wellbeing and also honors the healing profession.
4. Mailing lists are also confidential. Please do not
use any mailing list of the students in your class
or any other class to create networks. If you wish
to make a mailing list on your own, write the purpose
of the mailing list, including exactly what the
names will be used for, on a blank piece of paper
and ask people to personally sign the list giving
you their addresses.
5. The complete confidentiality of private healings,
private supervision, and private group supervision
given outside of the class meetings will be honored
by those practitioners who also teach at the school.
SCHOOL POLICIES
Formal school policies are presented in a format
indicating the subject of the policy, the group of individuals
to whom the policy applies, and, in the case of newer
policies, the date the policy becomes effective. A brief
discussion of the purpose of the policy is included.
The consequence of not following the policy is clearly
indicated and will be adhered to.
School policies are subject to change. Students are
notified of changes in existing policies at least 30 days
before the effective date of the policy. Since new policies are made in response to an immediate need, there
may not be time to notify students about a new policy
before it goes into effect. However, students are notified
of new policies as soon as possible.
