Client Rights
The following information is provided to you in order to make your therapeutic experience more productive and satisfying. Please review the list and feel free to approach your therapist with any thoughts and/or concerns.
Confidentiality
Information obtained within the counseling session, in written or verbal form, will be kept ethically and legally confidential. Information will not be disclosed to any outside person(s) or agency without your written permission except in certain situations, which include, but are not limited to:
If you are determined to be in imminent danger of harming yourself or someone else
If you disclose abuse or neglect of children, the elderly, or a disabled person(s).
If you disclose sexual misconduct by a mental health professional
To qualified personnel for certain kinds of audits or evaluations
In a criminal court proceeding
In legal or regulatory actions against a professional
In proceedings in which a claim is made about one’s physical, emotional, or mental condition h.
When disclosure is relevant to any suit affecting the parent-child relationship, which includes divorce and child custody deliberations.
Where otherwise legally required.
Any information that you also share outside of therapy, willingly and publicly, will not be considered protected or confidential by a court.
The above is considered a summary. If you have questions about specific situations or any aspects of confidentiality, please feel free to discuss your concerns with your therapist. You may also contact the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists at (512) 305- 7700 or http://www.tsbep.state.tx.us/
Counseling Process
You have the right to decide not to enter therapy with your therapist. If you feel that you are not making progress towards your goals, you may terminate the therapeutic relationship at any time. Your therapist will provide with a list of referrals for therapists in the community. In effort to help you transition, your therapist may request one last formalized session, so you can provide your therapist feedback and consider your next steps. You will be responsible for any outstanding payments for services received.
Your therapist is either a licensed psychologist or is being supervised by a licensed psychologist. If you would like more information about your therapist, or you would like to file a formal complaint against your therapist, please contact the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists at (512) 305-7700 or http://www.tsbep.state.tx.us/.
Your therapist will respect you as an individual and will convey this respect by maintaining appointments with you or by contacting you if a change in times is necessary. Your therapist will also give you her complete attention during sessions. You have the right to ask any questions, at any time, about what we do during therapy, and to receive answers that satisfy you. If you wish, your therapist will explain her style to you. You have the right not to allow the use of any therapy technique. If your therapist plans to use any unusual technique, the therapist will inform you and discuss its benefits and risks.
You and your therapist also will negotiate your frequency of sessions, number of sessions, goals, type of counseling (individual or group). Your therapist will generally meet with you once/week for 50 minute sessions. You and your therapist may re-evaluate the frequency of your sessions as situations arise and/or as you move towards your goals. Your therapist will obtain your informed consent in writing if your therapist would like to audiotape/videotape a session. You have the right to refuse any such recording at any time. You have the right to review your records in my files at any time, to add or correct your records, or to get copies for other professionals to use. You will be required to schedule an individual session and pay the full session fee to review your records, and you may be charged a reasonable fee for administrative costs related to getting copies of your records. Please retain this copy for your records.
Client Responsibilities
In order for therapy to be effective, it is necessary for both of us to take an active role in this process. Participation involves being open to the therapist’s thoughts and ideas, being honest with your therapist, discussing concerns about the process with your therapist, completing outside assignments when appropriate, and providing on-going feedback to the therapist about the process.
Therapy is more effective when an individual attends appointments in a consistent manner. It is expected that you will be prompt for your appointment. Sometimes emergencies come up. If I need to cancel or change an appointment time, I will give you more than 24 hours notice, as I know you will have reserved the time for the appointment. If for any reason I cannot give you more than 24 hours notice, I will provide our next hour free of charge to you. Likewise, I expect that you will give me more than 24 hours notice if you must cancel the appointment. If, for any reason, you cannot let me know more than 24 hours in advance you will be charged the regular fee for the time reserved.
It is important that your therapist has your current contact information at all times. If your contact information changes, it would be helpful to inform your therapist immediately.
Therapy is also a personal investment in one’s own growth and overall well-being. It is expected that you will pay for the therapeutic services provided. The fee for service is $135.00 for a 50 minute session and payment must be rendered at the end of each session. I offer sliding scale options for undergraduate and graduate students and new professionals (employed within the past 6 months). Payment can be made with cash, credit card, or a personal check. If you have insurance coverage, I will be glad to provide you with a receipt or statement satisfactory for filing your insurance claim at the end of the session or at the end of the month. Therapy is a significant personal and financial commitment. Please do not hesitate to discuss financial matters with me.
At the conclusion of therapy, you may be asked to evaluate your experience through a brief questionnaire. Your input will be helpful in improving our services.
Limits of the Therapy Relationship: What Clients Should Know
Psychotherapy is a professional service I can provide to you. Because of the nature of therapy, our relationship has to be different from most relationships. It may differ in how long it lasts, in the topics we discuss, or in the goals of our relationship. It must also be limited to the relationship of therapist and client only. If we were to interact in any other ways, we would then have a “dual relationship,” which would not be right, in your best interest as a client and may not be legal. The different therapy professions have rules against such relationships to protect us both.
Because I am your therapist, dual relationships like these are improper:
I cannot be your supervisor, teacher, or evaluator.
I cannot be a therapist to my own relatives, friends (or the relatives of friends), people I know socially, or business contacts.
I cannot provide therapy to people I used to know socially, or to former business contacts.
I cannot have any other kind of business relationship with you besides the therapy itself. For example, I cannot employ you, lend to or borrow from you, or trade or barter your services (things like tutoring, repairing, child care, etc.) or goods for therapy.
I cannot give legal, medical, financial, or any other type of professional advice.
I cannot have any kind of romantic or sexual relationship with a former or current client, or any other people close to a client.
You should also know that therapists are required to keep the identity of their clients’ secret. I will not acknowledge you in a public setting to ensure your confidentiality is protected. I also will not accept any invitations to social outings where your confidentiality may be compromised. Lastly, when our therapy is completed, we will not be able to pursue a friendship or any other type of relationship. My duty as therapist is to care for you and my other clients, but only in the professional role of therapist. Please feel free to discuss your thoughts and feelings about dual relationships with me at any point during our relationship. I value our therapeutic relationship, and I value the importance of providing you a safe and professional environment for your growth.
From the office of Santhi Periasamy, Ph.D., P.L.L.C. (2024) This text is adapted and modified from Zuckerman, E.L. (2003) The Paper Office (3rd edition); Guildford Press: New York.