Limits of Services and Assumption of Risks: Therapy sessions carry both benefits and risks. Therapy sessions can significantly reduce the amount of distress someone is feeling, improve relationships, and/or resolve other specific issues. However, these improvements and any “cures” cannot be guaranteed for any condition due to the many variables that affect these therapy sessions. Experiencing uncomfortable feelings, discussing unpleasant situations and/or aspects of your life are considered risks of therapy sessions.
Limits of Confidentiality: What you discuss during your therapy session is kept confidential. No contents of the therapy sessions, whether verbal or written may be shared with another party without your written consent or the written consent of your legal guardian.
Telehealth and Confidentiality: I have a legal and ethical responsibility to make my best efforts to protect all communications that are a part of our telepsychology. However, the nature of electronic communications technologies is such that I cannot guarantee that our communications will be kept confidential or that other people may not gain access to our communications. I will try to use updated encryption methods, firewalls, and back-up systems to help keep your information private, but there is a risk that our electronic communications may be compromised, unsecured, or accessed by others. You should also take reasonable steps to ensure the security of our communications (for example, only using secure networks for telepsychology sessions and having passwords to protect the device you use for telepsychology.)
The following is a list of exceptions:
Duty to Warn and Protect If you disclose a plan or threat to harm yourself, the therapist must attempt to notify your family and notify legal authorities. In addition, if you disclose a plan to threat or harm another person, the therapist is required to warn the possible victim and notify legal authorities.
Abuse of Children and Vulnerable Adults If you disclose, or it is suspected, that there is abuse or harmful neglect of children or vulnerable adults (i.e. the elderly, disabled/incompetent,) the therapist must report this information to the appropriate state agency and/or legal authorities.
Prenatal Exposure to Controlled Substances Therapists must report any admitted prenatal exposure to controlled substances that could be harmful to the mother or the child.
Minors/Guardianship Parents or legal guardians of non-emancipated minor clients have the right to access the clients’ records.
Insurance Providers Insurance companies and other third-party payers are given information that they request regarding services to the clients. The type of information that may be requested includes: types of service, dates/times of service, diagnosis, treatment plan, description of impairment, progress of therapy, case notes, summaries, etc.
By signing below, I agree to the above assumptions of risk and limits of confidentiality and understand their meanings and ramifications.