Informed Consent & Therapy Agreement

The Therapeutic Relationship & Informed Consent

Therapy is a professional process in which we work together. It may involve emotions, relationships, personal experiences, and other areas of life that are important to you. The course and outcome of therapy vary from person to person, and no particular outcome can be guaranteed.

You have the right to understand my professional background, theoretical orientation, and way of working, as well as the practical arrangements for therapy, fees, confidentiality, possible limitations, and other information relevant to our work. You are welcome to ask questions at any point during therapy.

Our work is based on voluntary participation and informed consent. You decide whether to begin therapy, and you may raise questions or request changes to the focus, approach, or practical arrangements of our work as therapy progresses.

For minors and others who are not legally able to provide informed consent independently, a parent, guardian, or other legally authorized representative will be involved in the consent process as required by applicable law and professional ethics. The client’s own wishes will also be respected to the extent appropriate.

Confidentiality & Its Limits

I have a professional responsibility to protect the confidentiality of the personal information you share with me in therapy. Therapy records will be maintained and handled in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and professional ethical standards.

Confidentiality may be limited in the following circumstances:

1. There is a serious and immediate risk of suicide, self-harm, or harm to another person;
2. A minor or another person who lacks full legal capacity may be experiencing sexual abuse, abuse, or other serious harm;
3. Disclosure is otherwise required by applicable law or regulation.

In these circumstances, I will take the steps reasonably necessary in light of the risk, applicable law, and my professional ethical responsibilities. Wherever possible, any disclosure will be limited to the information necessary to address the situation.

If material from our work is used for professional supervision, case consultation, teaching, research, or professional writing, identifying details will be removed or altered to protect your identity. If there remains a reasonable possibility that you could be identified, I will obtain your consent in advance.

Sessions will not be audio- or video-recorded without your explicit consent.

Your Rights & Responsibilities

You decide what you wish to talk about in therapy. You are also welcome to raise questions, concerns, or different perspectives about the focus, approach, or progress of our work.

To help me understand your circumstances as fully and accurately as possible, I ask that you share information relevant to our work as openly as you can. If there are things you are not ready to talk about, you can let me know.

You remain responsible for the decisions and actions you take outside therapy. Therapy can help you understand your feelings and circumstances, explore possibilities, and make choices of your own, but it does not replace your own judgment or decision-making in matters relating to your life, relationships, medical care, legal or financial affairs, or other personal matters.

If you are also receiving psychiatric care, psychotherapy, or another professional service closely related to our work, I encourage you to let me know. When appropriate, and with your consent, I may communicate with other professionals involved in your care.

My Responsibilities & Professional Boundaries

I will provide therapy within the limits of my professional competence and scope of practice, and in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and professional ethical standards.

As our work develops, we will discuss the focus and approach of therapy in light of your needs and what emerges in the process. When appropriate, I may recommend psychiatric, medical, or other professional support.

If I believe that your needs fall outside my professional competence or scope of practice, that our current way of working is no longer appropriate, or that continuing therapy is unlikely to serve your needs adequately, I will discuss this with you. Where appropriate, I may recommend a referral, a change in how we work, or bringing therapy to an end.

You may likewise raise any feelings, questions, or concerns about our therapeutic relationship, the way we work, or how therapy is progressing. You may also ask to make changes, pause therapy, or end our work together.

Our relationship is a professional therapeutic relationship. We will maintain appropriate professional boundaries to protect the integrity and safety of the therapeutic work.

Session Length, Frequency & Scheduling

Individual therapy sessions are approximately 50 minutes. Couples and family therapy sessions are approximately 90 minutes.

Therapy usually takes place once a week at a regular time. We may discuss a different frequency when appropriate, depending on the needs of the work and our respective circumstances.

Sessions begin and end at the agreed time. If you arrive late, the session will usually still end at the scheduled time.

If you need to reschedule or cancel a session, please give at least 24 hours’ notice. Fees for cancellations or changes made with less than 24 hours’ notice will follow the scheduling and fee arrangements agreed upon in advance. Exceptional circumstances, such as sudden illness or an emergency, can be discussed individually.

If I need to reschedule or cancel a session, I will let you know as far in advance as possible and arrange another time with you.

Fees

Your fee will be agreed upon before therapy begins.

We will also agree in advance on when and how payment is made. If my fees change, I will give you advance notice and confirm the new fee with you before it takes effect.

Unless we have agreed otherwise, medical care, assessments, services provided by third parties, and other costs incurred outside therapy are not included in the therapy fee.

Online Therapy

Online sessions will take place by video or another method we have agreed upon in advance.

Please join online sessions, as far as possible, from a quiet and private place with a stable internet connection and take reasonable steps to protect your privacy. I will likewise conduct online sessions from a private setting appropriate for therapeutic work.

Online therapy carries some inherent risks, including internet or equipment failure and privacy risks associated with electronic communication. If we lose our connection, we will try to reconnect using an agreed method of communication. If the session cannot continue, we will make alternative arrangements as appropriate.

Because responding to a crisis may depend on resources available where you are at the time, I may need to confirm your current city or region and obtain appropriate emergency contact information if there are concerns about your safety.

If an immediate safety concern or crisis arises during an online session, I may, depending on the circumstances, assist in contacting local emergency services, a hospital, crisis resources, your emergency contact, or other necessary support.

Crisis & Emergency Situations

Therapy is not an emergency or crisis-response service and is not a substitute for psychiatric care, emergency care, or other necessary medical treatment.

If you are at serious and immediate risk of suicide, harming yourself, or harming someone else, please contact local emergency services, go to the nearest emergency department, or contact an appropriate crisis service rather than waiting for your next therapy session.

If a serious and immediate safety risk becomes apparent during our work, I will prioritize your safety and the safety of others. Where required or permitted by applicable law and professional ethics, I may contact emergency services, a guardian, your emergency contact, or another person or service necessary to respond to the risk. In these circumstances, confidentiality may be limited to the extent necessary to address the immediate safety concern.

Once the immediate crisis has stabilized, we can discuss what ongoing professional support or therapy arrangements may be appropriate.

Communication & Written Confirmation

Email and other methods of communication we have agreed upon are primarily for scheduling, rescheduling, cancellations, fees, and other administrative matters.

Significant changes to our therapy arrangements—including session times, frequency, fees, or other matters requiring mutual agreement—should be confirmed by email or another form of written communication we have agreed to use.

As a general rule, therapy will not be conducted by email, instant messaging, or social media. Matters that need more time or depth can be brought into a scheduled session.

Electronic communication carries some inherent privacy and information-security risks. We are each responsible for taking reasonable steps to protect our own devices, accounts, and communications.

Pausing, Referral & Ending Therapy

You may choose to pause or end therapy. Where possible, I recommend that we meet for one or more sessions before ending so that we can reflect on our work together, make space for the ending itself, and consider any ongoing needs.

If I believe that our work has reached an appropriate point of completion, that continuing therapy is no longer appropriate for you, or that I am unable to continue providing therapy because of professional, practical, or other circumstances, I will discuss this with you as far in advance as possible and, where needed, offer appropriate referral options.

If our work is interrupted temporarily or permanently because of illness, leave, relocation, or other circumstances, I will, where possible, let you know in advance and discuss appropriate arrangements with you.

If you would like to return to therapy after our work has ended, you are welcome to contact me again. Whether we resume, and under what arrangements, will depend on the circumstances at that time.

Confirmation & Changes to This Agreement

This agreement is intended to give us a shared understanding, before therapy begins, of how we will work together, the practical arrangements for therapy, our respective rights and responsibilities, and the professional boundaries of our relationship.

If any significant part of this agreement needs to change during therapy, we will discuss the proposed change and confirm it in writing.

By signing below, we confirm that we have read and understood this agreement and that you have had an opportunity to ask questions about anything it contains.