Therapy is a private and supportive space where you talk with a trained professional about your thoughts, feelings, and challenges. It’s a place to better understand yourself and learn ways to feel and cope better.
Here are the different types of therapy:
Individual Therapy: One-on-one with the clinician
- In one-on-one therapy, what you share with your therapist is private and confidential. Therapists cannot share your information without your permission, except in specific legal or safety-related situations.
Child & Adolescent Therapy:
- In one-on-one therapy, what you share with your therapist is private and confidential. Therapists cannot share your information without your permission, except in specific legal or safety-related situations.
Couples & Family Therapy:
- Therapists usually have a “no secrets” policy—meaning they don’t keep information from one partner or family member that’s shared privately if it affects the whole relationship. The therapist will explain this upfront and help everyone understand how information will be handled. The goal is to build trust and open communication, not hide or take sides.
Group Therapy:
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Group therapy is a form of psychotherapy where a trained mental health professional leads a small group of individuals who meet regularly to discuss their experiences, challenges, and goals.
t=”258″ data-end=”261″ />>In this supportive setting, participants learn from one another, practice new skills, and gain insight through shared stories and guided therapeutic activities. Group therapy helps people feel less alone in their struggles, fosters connection, and provides a safe space for growth and healing.
Confidentiality Exceptions:
In group therapy, everything shared should be kept private and respectful, just like in individual therapy. However, confidentiality works a bit differently because you’re not just sharing with a therapist—you’re sharing with other group members too. All group members are asked to agree to a confidentiality agreement. This means not repeating what others say in group outside of the group, including names or personal stories. The therapist will usually remind the group regularly to protect each other’s privacy.
Therapy is meant to support healing, growth, and mental wellness—but unfortunately, some people may misuse therapy for personal gain or manipulation. Below are common ways therapy can be misused for hidden agendas.
Custody Battles / Family Court:
- A parent may initiate therapy for their child not primarily for the child’s therapeutic benefit, but to support a legal strategy in the context of custody or family court proceedings. This may include presenting or exaggerating allegations of abuse or instability by the other parent. They may also exert pressure on the clinician to provide documentation or legal recommendations, or request diagnostic labels that may not be clinically indicated.
- Compromising the integrity of the therapeutic process
- Place the child at risk of further emotional distress by entangling them in high-conflict legal dynamics
Insurance Fraud
- Intentional misrepresentation of mental health symptoms to obtain disability benefits, extended leave, or financial gain— such as falsifying claims, misusing insurance, or coercing clinicians for specific documentation—is both unethical and illegal.
- Jeopardize clinical integrity, carry legal risks
- Undermine access to care for individuals with genuine needs
Legal Leverage or Documentation
- Engaging in therapy solely to obtain documentation or diagnoses for legal, occupational, or immigration-related purposes. Examples include influencing court decisions, substantiating grievances, or discrediting others not under the clinician’s care, which constitutes a misuse of the therapeutic process.
- Compromises clinical integrity
- Transforms therapy into a means of manipulation
- Undermining the therapeutic alliance and professional ethics
Image Management
<p style=”text-align: left;”>Presenting for therapy primarily to project compliance or emotional stability—without genuine engagement—may serve to deflect accountability, manipulate perceptions, or justify maladaptive behavior.
- Undermines the therapeutic process
- Reinforces dysfunctional patterns
- May contribute to interpersonal manipulation
Weaponizing Diagnosis or Mental Health
- Misusing diagnostic labels, such as misrepresenting another’s mental health status to discredit them, using one’s own diagnosis to evade responsibility, or pressuring clinicians to diagnose others for personal leverage.
- Contributes to the stigmatization of mental illness
- Distorts clinical tools for manipulative or non-therapeutic purposes
Therapy is a powerful space for growth, healing, and honest self-reflection. Whether someone is working individually with a clinician, participating as part of a couple or family, or connecting within a supportive group. Each therapeutic format has its own guidelines for confidentiality and communication, all designed to protect the well-being of everyone involved.
While most people enter therapy with genuine intentions, it’s also important to recognize when the process is being misused. Misrepresentation, manipulation, or using therapy as a tool in legal or interpersonal conflicts not only disrupts the therapeutic alliance but can also cause harm to others. Understanding these boundaries helps preserve the integrity of mental health care and ensures that therapy remains a safe, ethical, and meaningful resource.
At its core, therapy works best when approached with openness, honesty, and readiness for change. When used as intended, it supports individuals and families in building healthier relationships, navigating challenges, and fostering long-term emotional well-being.
About Selena Nguyen: