Confidentiality and Privacy

Your sessions are confidential.
All information shared during our sessions will remain strictly private and confidential. I strictly adhere to professional ethical guidelines that protect your privacy and ensure the confidentiality of our therapeutic relationship.

This is a safe space.
You are encouraged to discuss any thoughts, feelings, experiences, or concerns openly and honestly. This includes discussions of unwanted or concerning thoughts, desires, fantasies, or experiences. Nothing you share will be judged, and all discussions will remain confidential within the bounds outlined below.

Limits to Confidentiality

While I am committed to maintaining your confidentiality, there are specific circumstances where I may be legally and ethically required to disclose information:

1. Imminent risk of harm – If you pose an immediate and serious threat to yourself or to another identifiable person
2. Child protection concerns – If there is reasonable suspicion of actively occurring child abuse or neglect involving a child under 18 years of age
3. Elder abuse – If there are concerns about active abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult
4. Court orders – If I am legally compelled by a court of law to provide information
5. Professional consultation – I may discuss your case (without identifying information) with professional colleagues for supervision or consultation purposes to ensure the highest quality of care

In any of these situations, I will discuss the matter with you first whenever possible and will only disclose the minimum amount of information necessary to address the safety concern or legal requirement.

Professional Boundaries

This is a professional therapeutic service.
Our relationship is strictly professional and therapeutic in nature. This is not a sexual service or any form of intimate personal service. All interactions will maintain appropriate professional boundaries at all times.

Dual relationships.
I maintain clear professional boundaries and do not engage in personal, social or romantic relationships with clients. This ensures the integrity and effectiveness of our therapeutic relationship.

Therapeutic Fit and Referrals

My commitment to appropriate care.
If at any point during our work together I feel that I am unable to provide you with the treatment or support you need, if I believe that another practitioner may be better suited to address your specific concerns, I will discuss this openly with you and provide appropriate referrals to other qualified professionals.

I may also make recommendation and provide referral for additional support or assessment, if deemed appropriate for your unique situation. This may include referral back to your GP or a specific medical specialist for tests to rule out underlying health conditions or to explore medical treatment options, and referral to a psychotherapist, psychologist or psychiatrist for greater mental health support or assessment of potential underlying mental health conditions if relevant.

Your choice in therapeutic fit.
Equally, if at any point you feel that I am not the right fit for you or that you would benefit from working with a different practitioner, please feel comfortable expressing this. There are absolutely no hurt feelings – finding the right therapeutic match is crucial for effective treatment, and I will gladly provide referrals to other practitioners who may better meet your needs.

The therapeutic relationship is built on trust and compatibility, and ensuring you receive the most appropriate care is always the priority.

AI-Assisted Note Taking

Use of AI Technology.
In addition to my manual note-taking during sessions, I use artificial intelligence software to assist with creating comprehensive notes from session transcripts. This technology is used solely as a note-taking aid to ensure nothing important from our sessions is missed.

Important clarifications about AI use:

• AI is NOT used as a primary treatment aid or therapeutic tool, unless specifically discussed
• AI does NOT provide any clinical recommendations or influence therapeutic decisions
• Session transcripts are deleted after notes are compiled
• AI-generated notes are reviewed and edited by me personally
• No identifying information is stored permanently within the AI system

Your Rights

• You have the right to ask questions about confidentiality at any time
• You may request copies of your clinical notes (some restrictions may apply)
• You can discuss any concerns about privacy or confidentiality during our sessions
• You have the right to withdraw consent for AI-assisted note taking at any time

Emergency Situations

If you are experiencing a mental health emergency outside of session hours, please contact:

• Emergency Services: 000
• Lifeline: 13 11 14
• Mental Health Crisis Line: 1800 011 511
• Your local hospital emergency department

Agreement

By continuing with therapy sessions, you acknowledge that:

• You have read and understood this confidentiality statement
• You understand the limits to confidentiality as outlined above
• You consent to the use of AI technology for note-taking purposes as described
• You agree to these terms and conditions for our therapeutic relationship

If you have any questions or concerns about any aspect of this agreement, please discuss them with me before we proceed with treatment.