Upon booking your first counselling session, you will receive an agreement by email to ensure your understanding and expectations of what the counselling will entail. Your acknowledgement (via digital signature) is required prior to counselling commencing.
The details of the agreement are as follows:
Person-centred Counselling
I operate from a person-centred model of counselling, whereby, I believe my client is the expert on their own needs, and with support and the therapeutic framework involved, can assess and come to understand the nature of their issue/s, leading to better management of those issues.
I will provide competent, ethical, safe and supportive care in a non-judgmental and unbiased manner.
You will be treated with respect and dignity, be involved in discussions, and have your views taken into account, along with any concerns around your counselling.
Client Responsibilities
Your responsibilities within the process are:
(1) To inform your counsellor of any special needs you may have
(2) To be open about concerns about your counselling
(3) To keep appointments as set, or advise counsellor as soon as possible of changes
(4) To be clear that therapy does not guarantee a “cure”
Confidentiality
Anything you tell me during our sessions will be treated with confidentiality, with the following exceptions;
(A) If I am mandated by a court to hand over your notes
(B) If I suspect you intend to self-harm, harm another, or are in danger of being harmed
(C) If a third party professional requests your notes, I will only release them with your written permission
I will take notes during some of our time together. This will help us track any progress, and tweak any management strategies or identified goals.
These notes will be stored securely in a locked cabinet and/or electronically, accessible solely to me. I will retain them for a period of seven years after our last session together, and you may have access to them at any time upon request.
If we meet unintentionally outside of the counselling setting, I will not acknowledge you first, as your privacy and confidentiality are top priorities for me. If you approach me, I am happy to chat briefly, but I will not discuss your counselling issues outside of the therapeutic environment.
Declaration of Understanding
I have read and understood the above statements, and I know what is expected of both myself and my counsellor during our work together.
Please note: your acknowledgement (via digital signature) will be required prior to counselling commencing, with the agreement automatically sent via email for your online acknowledgement.