Reducing collusion with individualism and dichotomous thinking: Exploring the constructs of ‘confidentiality’ and ‘disclosure’ through forums and interviews— Adam Hahs and Milan Colic

The idea of sharing stories so people can be more political with them is not a new idea to narrative therapy. However, as far as we are aware, there is very little research or documentation in the counselling literature that has asked groups of people their opinion about sharing their stories outside of the counselling arena for individual and broader collective good. In many instances, the constructs of ‘confidentiality’ and ‘disclosure’ can be referred to in rather fixed terms, and as non-negotiable entities. This paper outlines the development of forums and interviews with 62 young people in our respective counselling contexts – two co-educational high schools in Melbourne, Australia, to provide us with an indication of how the young people we consult with may feel about ‘confidentiality’ when viewed alongside their right to be supported in sharing their stories.