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Phone
615.784.9209
Location
509 West Main Street
Lebanon, TN 37087
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Please note our call back hours are Monday-Friday during normal business hours.
For rate/fee/insurance information click here. For clinical staff bios click here.
Directions:
From Nashville - 40E to exit 236 S. Hartmann Dr. Turn left off of the interstate. Drive to large intersection of HWY 70/W. Main St. and Hartmann Dr. Turn right. Go approximately 3 miles. to North Tarver Ave. Turn left on N. Tarver Ave. We are on the corner off W. Main St. and N. Tarver in the Yellow House. Parking is available in the back of the house and on N. Tarver Ave. beside the house. Enter through the front door that faces W. Main St.
Confidentiality - Protections and Limitations
In Tennessee, confidentiality in counseling is protected by law but includes specific limitations where disclosure is required or permitted. Below is an overview of these limitations:
*Legal Protections for Counseling Confidentiality*
Under Tennessee Code § 63-22-114, communications between licensed counselors, marital and family therapists, and certified clinical pastoral therapists and their clients are privileged, akin to attorney-client confidentiality. This means that, generally, therapists cannot disclose what clients share during sessions without the client's consent.
*Limitations to Confidentiality*
Despite these protections, Tennessee law outlines several circumstances where confidentiality may be breached:
-Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse
Counselors are legally obligated to report suspected child abuse, including neglect, brutality, physical, sexual, financial and emotional abuse. This includes situations where a minor witnesses the destruction of property by their parent or guardian, as such actions may be indicative of abuse or neglect. Even if the child is not the direct victim, witnessing such behavior can cause emotional or psychological harm, which falls under the purview of mandatory reporting laws.
Therefore, if a counselor or any other individual becomes aware that a minor has witnessed the destruction of property by a parent or guardian, and there is reasonable cause to believe that the act was a form of abuse or neglect, they are legally obligated to report the incident to the Tennessee Department of Children's Services (DCS) or appropriate authorities.
All of these requirements stated above override client confidentiality.
-Duty to Warn and Protect
If a therapist believes a client poses an imminent threat to themselves or others, they may disclose information to prevent harm. This duty to warn is recognized in Tennessee law.
-Court Orders and Legal Proceedings
Therapists may be compelled to disclose client information if ordered by a court or required in legal proceedings.
-Juvenile Records and Investigations
Records related to child sexual abuse investigations are confidential and cannot be disclosed except as authorized by law.
-Minor Consent for Mental Health Treatment
Minors aged 16 or older with serious emotional disturbances or mental illness can consent to outpatient mental health treatment without parental involvement. In such cases, they have the same rights as adults regarding confidentiality, with certain exceptions.
Summary
While Tennessee law provides strong confidentiality protections for counseling communications, these protections are not absolute. Disclosures are mandated or permitted in situations involving mandatory reporting of child abuse, threats of harm, legal proceedings, and specific circumstances related to minors seeking mental health treatment. Counselors are ethically and legally required to inform clients of these limitations at the outset of the counseling relationship.