Mandated Reportingadvanced
A Child Is Being Hurt
Report harm to a child while staying transparent and on the client's side.
The situation
I am the therapist. My client has just described their partner hitting their eight-year-old, and asks me to keep it between us. I need to be transparent about my duty to report, stay on their side while I do it, and involve them in what happens next.
Who you will be talking to: Boundary-Testing Client
Each request will sound reasonable on its own. Caving erodes the frame; a cold refusal wounds — the ask is a warm, held limit.
What tends to work
- Name the limit warmly, without apology or lecture
- Explore what the request means before deciding
- Offer what IS possible instead of just saying no
One way to open: “I want to talk about what you're asking for, and also about what it might mean that you're asking.”
Say it out loud, then see what you said
Reading about a hard conversation is not the same as having it. You talk to an AI counterpart by voice, like a phone call, and afterwards get a scorecard that quotes your own words: what helped, and what to try next time.
More mental health scenarios
Dialoque is a practice tool for communication skills. It is not medical, clinical or legal advice. Read the disclaimer.