Confidentiality

Therapists are required to maintain confidentiality in compliance with state law and professional ethics standards of practice. Consultee understands that information shared in therapy is held in confidence in order to protect the therapeutic alliance.

Exceptions to confidentiality include:

• Consultee relates plan of harm to self or other (including children, adolescents, adults, elderly) and therapist believes consultee has intent and ability to carry out this threat to self or to reasonably well identified victim; therapist will take appropriate steps to ensure safety of consultee and others and will notify appropriate agencies as necessary if/when safety cannot be ensured

• Consultee is involved in a court case and a request is made for information about consultee counseling or therapy. In this case, therapist will not disclose information without consultee written agreement unless the court issues a valid subpoena which requires therapist to do so. Therapist will do all that she can to protect consultee confidentiality, and if required to disclose information to the court, will inform consultee that this is happening to the best of her ability.

• Consultee grants permission herein and/or signs specific release of information form (for example, but not limited to: emergency contact, medical release to contact physician, insurance company, communication by mail, email, phone, text, financial institution, referral source etc.) Think carefully and consult with an attorney before you sign away your rights to confidentiality.

• Consultees being seen in couple, partner, family, intervention and group work are obligated legally to respect the confidentiality of others. The therapist will exercise discretion (but cannot promise absolute confidentiality) when disclosing private information to other participants in the treatment process.

• Consultee grants permission to release information, as appropriate, to financial institutions as applicable for payment processing and compliance with IRS reporting