Confidentiality

Confidentiality Policy

Your relationship with us (“us/we” refers here to me as your Therapist as well as any professional support staff engaged by me, such as admin assistants or IT technicians) is a professional one with important and specific limitations to what can be kept confidential.

The limits to what we can keep confidential applies to all information of any nature (i.e., during the administrative process, active psychological service delivery, incidental communication exchanges, etc.) that you share with us, in any format (via email, telephone call, text, social media, mail, in person, etc).

Any and all information you share with us will remain strictly confidential, except under any of the following circumstances:

• When there is a legal obligation to disclose information (e.g. if I or my file notes are subpoenaed);

• If we reasonably believe that the collection, use, or disclosure of such information is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to the life, health or safety of any individual, or to the public’s health or safety;

•  When I access clinical supervision (client information is only discussed in a non-identifiable way, and only with colleagues who are professionally and ethically bound to preserve your confidentiality too); To comply with the conditions of your funding (e.g. reporting requirements for sessions funded by a Medicare scheme, your employer, WorkSafe, DVA, NDIS, etc.);

• In following all legal requirements for reporting alleged or suspected child abuse to the relevant authorities as specified by the Government; or; If you disclose information about a registered health practitioner (including yourself) that the AASW or other professional bodies define as requiring mandatory notification;

In all of the above exceptional circumstances, we make efforts to safeguard your privacy where possible by disclosing only the minimum, necessary, and relevant information. If we wish to share your information under any circumstances not listed above, we will first gain your consent or the consent of the person/s with legal authority to act on your behalf.

Your session notes and records of all other communication are stored securely and comply with relevant privacy laws.

We respect and support your right to make an informed decision about how and what you communicate with us, and so we will alert you to our confidentiality policy and seek your consent to our policy as early in our first communication as we reasonably can. By communicating with us, you are consenting to all information being treated in accordance with our confidentiality policy. If you have any questions or concerns about your privacy and information, please raise these with us at the beginning of our first contact before disclosing anything further.