When a client reveals harmful intentions, balancing confidentiality with safety is crucial. First, understand local laws on confidentiality breaches when threats are imminent. Assess the risk by looking at the plan, means, and history. Communicate with the client about your concerns and the need for potential confidentiality breaches. Collaborate with them on contacting help. Seek guidance from colleagues to confirm your approach. Develop a safety plan and, if necessary, involve authorities if threats are immediate. Document all decisions for clarity and legal protection, and arrange for ongoing support for the client. Safety remains the priority, guided by both legal and ethical standards.

When a client reveals harmful intentions, confidentiality is limited by the duty to protect. First, assess the seriousness of the threat, such as suicidal ideation or harm to others. If immediate danger is present, confidentiality can be breached to ensure safety. Involve the client by discussing the concern and working on a safety plan. If necessary, report to authorities or those at risk. Always document your decision-making process and steps taken. The goal is to protect while minimizing harm to the client’s trust.

It’s essential to act ethically, legally, and with the best interest of all parties in mind. Consider the legal requirements and ethical guidelines of your profession regarding confidentiality and the duty to protect others. Consult a supervisor or a legal expert without disclosing identifiable client information for advice on how to proceed. Evaluate the seriousness of the threat. If possible, work with the client to develop a safety plan that addresses the harmful intentions while respecting their confidentiality. Inevitably, if the threat is deemed significant and imminent, you may need to break confidentiality to protect client from harming themselves or others. Take notes about your assessments, decisions, and actions taken.

When a client discloses harmful intentions, it’s crucial to balance confidentiality with safety. In my coaching experience, I’ve encountered situations where a client’s emotional state raised concerns. I immediately focused on creating a safe, non-judgmental space for open dialogue, allowing the client to express their feelings fully. After assessing the threat level, I followed legal and ethical guidelines, which sometimes required breaching confidentiality for the client’s safety. I recall a particular instance where collaboration with legal counsel was essential in navigating these complexities. Balancing trust while ensuring safety is a delicate art that requires constant reflection and adherence to ethical standards.

Start by calmly acknowledging the seriousness of the situation and expressing your concern for their well-being. While confidentiality is critical in coaching, it's important to remind the client that there are legal and ethical boundaries, especially if there is a risk of harm to themselves or others. Encourage the client to seek professional help, such as a therapist or counselor, who is better equipped to address these issues. If necessary, follow the appropriate steps within your jurisdiction for reporting to ensure their safety. By handling the situation with compassion while adhering to ethical guidelines, you can prioritize your client's safety without compromising trust.

As a coach / mentor we are not qualified professionals to address these issues with full competence but we can certainly support our clients through appropriate and respectful questioning. Generally speaking we would need to have their permission to disclose but if we feel that the situation is life threatening I would suggest ethical disclosure is acceptable and necessary. Inevitably there are so many variables at play all depending on circumstances.

Thankfully my clients do not often share harmful intentions for themselves or their team. However when this has occurred I follow the below. 1. Can you repeat what you just said? Do they say it again or reframe it? 2. When you say ———- what do you mean? 3. On a scale of 1 to 10 how serious is this? 4. Let’s say you did this, I am not suggesting you do, but what do you foresee as the outcomes? 5. Are those outcomes acceptable or is there a better way? 6. If I believe someone will gust themselves or others I act. Report it to others, legal community and ask for advice. I have found people who are tired, feeling they are in a corner with no escape are no longer thinking rationality. Seek first to understand. Then expose options.

Respond calmly and listen actively. Acknowledge their feelings without judgment. This can help de-escalate the situation. Assess the Situation by Determining the immediacy and severity of the harm. Ask open-ended questions to gather more information about their intentions. Clearly communicate that harmful intentions are unacceptable. Establish boundaries for the conversation while remaining empathetic. Better to Involve Authorities if Necessary to protect an immediate threat to safety, do not hesitate to contact emergency services or appropriate authorities to intervene.