Therapy Information

During our first session together, we will look through the following information together and sign an agreement confirming your understanding of it. The information covers your rights as a client and guidelines on how I work as a practitioner. I do not need you to read it before we meet, but if you do, feel free to bring any questions to our meeting.

Your Health Rights

You have a right to consent or withdraw from therapy.
You have a right to know what and why treatment is being offered and to be informed about any potential benefits or risks of treatment.
You have a right to ask questions and raise any concerns you have about the treatment.
You have a right to review your records and to request corrections.

Confidentiality

Your information is considered confidential except under the following circumstances:

If there is a risk of serious harm to yourself or to other(s). In this case, I am required to disclose information in order to keep you and/or others safe.
You can give specific consent for your information to be shared with others (such as your doctor, other agency, or other supports). This consent can be verbal or you may be asked to give it in writing.
Your information is discussed in confidential professional supervision/consultations for purposes of therapist training and evaluation of my work. This is a routine part of all professional and ethical practice, and maintains the quality of your care and our mutual safety.

Teletherapy Services

In telehealth therapy, confidentiality of your physical/sound space cannot be established by the therapist. Please be mindful that you choose a location and time where you will not be overheard or interrupted, and raise any privacy concerns if needed. Use of headphones is recommended to improve both sound quality and privacy. Technical or connection problems do occur from time to time due to circumstances outside of our control. If this occurs to an intrusive degree, we will consider alternative options.

Use of Digital and/or Online Communications

The telehealth platforms (CarePatron, Zoom) have been chosen for their security for you to upload or view your information and for video calling. However, no internet based communication can guarantee absolute 100% security.

Email and SMS text are less secure communication methods and are best suited for practical, non-sensitive communications such as getting basic contact information or scheduling. To protect your privacy, I do not interact with clients via social media or any websites or public forums. If you do opt to send or receive personal information via these channels, you agree that you understand the security risks.

Audio/Video Recordings

You may be asked sometimes whether you agree for your session to be recorded for the purpose of professional supervision. Video recordings have been shown to be one of the most effective ways of improving therapist effectiveness. You will always be asked for permission and informed when the recording starts or stops. You can ask for the recording to be paused, stopped, or deleted at any time. You can decline or withdraw your consent at any time. These recordings are treated with the strictest security protocols and are used solely for the purpose of professional development and supervision.

AI and Phone Security

Part of providing a psychotherapy service is providing a safe, private space for clients. To make good on this promise, I request phones to be turned off, put on flight mode, or left somewhere safe for the duration of our sessions. This measure may seem extreme, but I would rather inconvenience you slightly than risk your deeply personal information being exposed.

COVID-19 Policy

If you experience COVID-19 symptoms on the day of an in-person appointment, please notify me as soon as possible so that we can decide how to proceed. We may shift our appointment to be done remotely or reschedule for when your health has improved. Please do not show up to an in-person appointment while symptomatic.

I adhere to the COVID-19 government guidelines, including the mandates for vaccination and masking required of health workers.

Te Tiriti

I am committed to honouring the mana of He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, recognising their past, current, and future importance in Aotearoa. I am constantly developing my cultural competency to ensure I can provide equity and safety through my practice.

Attending Sessions

Sessions are offered online and/or in-person.

Current session price (GST Included): $160

Low cost sessions are agreed on an individual case-by-case basis. If you are experiencing financial hardship as a barrier to therapy, please enquire as I do allocate a portion of my practice to low-cost sessions as part of my commitment to equitable practice.

I am also able to support you through the process of applying for a disability allowance through WINZ, which can help cover some of the costs. Please bear in mind the WINZ requirement that money received from WINZ for therapy must be used solely for therapy.

While it is my aim to make access to psychotherapy as affordable as possible, prices and policies regarding cancellations may be adjusted if they fall out of balance with my practice costs or affect my ability to provide quality work. Thank you for your understanding, and please feel free to discuss with me if you have any concerns.

Payment Information

Payment is due at the start of each session. Payments are made with internet banking, and I will provide payment details in the first session. I do not have options for EFTPOS or cash change for in-person appointments. Invoices are available on request.

Cancellation Policy

For weekly therapy, I have a 24 hour policy for appointment cancellations (or non-attendance). If cancellations are under 24 hours, the full fee is payable. If we are able to reschedule the appointment, I may sometimes be able to waive or reduce the cancellation fee. Shifting an appointment from in-person to online at short notice does not incur a cancellation fee.

The earlier I am notified of any changes you may need to make regarding a booked appointment, the better I will be able to adapt and/or offer options. Sometimes unexpected circumstances do arise and I will strive to offer alternatives that are fair to both parties.

Location

In-person appointments are at Therapy Hub, 101L Apollo Drive, Rosedale 0632.

Closing Files

If no follow up plan has been made and I have not received any contact from you for over a month, I will regard your file as closed until you re-initiate contact.

Limitations to Services

My working hours can be variable so I do not have set hours for answering calls and messages, though I will reply as soon as I am able.

For support between sessions, please see resources at https://mentalhealth.org.nz/help.

For emergency help, please contact 111 or your 24/7 local mental health crisis team.

As a solo practitioner, my role is to provide therapy and support you to access other resources where possible. I am unable to offer the required clinical support for clients with current, active suicidal intent, or those at medical risk due to eating disorders. I do not offer standardised testing evaluations such as for ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, or personality disorders. I am also unable to advise or be involved in any capacity on legal matters involving family court or custody arrangements.

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