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Common Questions

How can therapy help me?

Therapy can be a stabilizing experience that offers an empathic space in which one can explore themselves, identify inter-personal struggles, and find resources they did not know of.

What can I expect as a therapy client?

  • To feel respected and not judged.
  • Have the pace set by you.
  • Confidentiality, this is a legal right - see more below.
  • Communicate openly with therapist.
  • Find more at:  http://www.goodtherapy.org/blo...

Does what we talk about in therapy remain confidential?

Content of all therapy sessions are confidential.  Both verbal information and written records about a client cannot be shared with another party without written consent of the client's legal guardian.  Noted exceptions are as follows:

  • Duty to Warn and Protect (therapists have a duty to take reasonable precautions to warn or protect a third party threatened by his or her client when:

    (a) the patient has communicated to the licensed mental health professional an explicit threat to kill or inflict serious bodily injury upon a reasonably identified victim or victims and the patient has the apparent intent and ability to carry out the threat…; or (b) the patient has a history of physical violence which is known to the licensed mental health professional and the licensed mental health professional has a reasonable basis to believe that there is a clear and present danger that the patient will attempt to kill or inflict serious bodily injury against a reasonably identified victim or victims.
  • When a patient discloses intentions or implies a plan for suicide, I am required to notify legal authorities and make reasonable attempts to notify the family of my patient.
  • Abuse, neglect or exploitation of children and vulnerable adults.
  • If a patient discloses or professional suspects the patient is abusing, neglecting or exploiting a child or vulnerable adult.

Sometimes, however, you may want your therapist to share information or give an update to someone on your healthcare team (your Physician, Naturopath, Attorney), but by law your therapist cannot release this information without obtaining your written permission.
 
TREATMENT OF MINORS
 
The "client" or "patient" is the child/adolescent, not the parent, nor is this family therapy, unless established and agreed in advance.  If I believe there is real and/or immediate danger to the child/adolescent, my patient, I am legally bound to notify the parent or legal guardian to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the child/adolescent. 
 
However, absent of immediate danger, abuse, neglect and threats of violence, I will keep information shared with me by the child/adolescent patient disclosed to me confidential.