Paul is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice who provides supervision to counselors working toward licensure. Callie meets with him every other week for clinical supervision as she is working toward licensure as an LPC. She has worked for many years as an elementary school counselor, although she is now completing the requirements for state licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

Recently, the relatively new principal of the school where she works asked her to present him with a weekly list of every student or parent she counsels and every doctor, agency, therapist, and etc. that she consults with regarding a student, stating that he needs this data for his quarterly report on school resources and activities. She comes to Paul seeking guidance regarding her ethical responsibility concerning confidentiality. On one hand, it seems to her that even disclosing that she has seen an individual or parent in her professional capacity may be a breach of confidentiality. This is particularly true in this case, where the principal has been known for sharing information told to him in confidence by others. Callie tells Paul that the principal's secretary is also privy to information which is designated only for the principal to see and that Callie has witnessed her sharing confidential information about students with various instructors; hence, she is concerned the same may happen with this "list."

Additionally, the principal is the school counselor's employer, and she doesn't want to appear to be insubordinate. Callie seeks guidance on how to proceed in order to avoid jeopardizing her professional ethical standards and, potentially, her job, as she is a single parent supporting her elderly parents and one child.