Privacy Policy

CONFIDENTIALITY ISSUES

Your confidence that we will respect your privacy fosters your willingness to be open and is the best indication that we can help you. In order to earn this trust with you, we practice the following policy on confidentiality.

All information disclosed to me within therapy sessions and the written records pertaining to those sessions are kept confidential and may not be revealed to anyone without your written permission except where disclosure is required by law. The circumstances requiring disclosure by law are listed below:

  • ABUSE. When there is a reasonable suspicion of child abuse, elder abuse, or abuse of a dependent adult that is physical, sexual, or emotional, we will file a report with the appropriate state agency.

  • HARM TO SELF. When the client threatens serious bodily harm to self, we will seek hospitalization for the client and contact family members or others who can help provide safety.

  • HARM TO OTHER. When a client threatens serious bodily harm to another, we will notify the potential victim, contact the police, or seek hospitalization for the client.

  • COURT ORDER. When disclosure is required for a legal proceeding, we comply.

  • PERMISSION: When a client wishes their therapist to speak with a third party, we comply with written consent by the client.

If the above circumstances do not apply, all information discussed or written pertaining to our therapy is kept confidential. When the above circumstances apply, we make every effort to inform you of the steps we take when breaching your confidentiality and share the minimum information required to secure your safety and the safety of others.

PROFESSIONAL RECORDS

Throughout our clinical work, we keep written records to meet required standards of care. You are entitled to receive a paper copy or summary of your records at any time. Once you submit a request in writing, we have 5 days until you may inspect the records, 10 days until you receive a summary, and 15 days until you may receive a copy of your entire record.

Sometimes, these professional records can be misinterpreted by untrained readers. Therefore, if you wish to view your records, we recommend you review them in our presence so we can discuss the contents.