The rules are aimed to build security and borders for both parties of therapeutic contact, which is particularly important when it touches sore or sensitive places of our psyche. Therapeutic relationship is specific – almost everything what happens between us is named and discussed.
Here are the rules, which I follow in psychotherapy:
- Sessions are held every week (in special cases – more often). The only exception is couples therapy, when sessions take place every two weeks.
- I am obliged to follow the rules of confidentiality, which means that I do not talk about you outside the office. There are exceptions to this rule, namely:
- my supervision and intervision, during which I discuss my work with other therapists (but will not reveal your surname)
- being called as a witness in a court case,
- situation in which I know that your life or health are in danger (suicidal behaviour I know about – the law requires me to notify emergency services).
- I keep documentation of the sessions, to which no one has access but me. Its abridged copy can be prepared at the specified individual circumstances.
- Contact between sessions (telephone, e-mail) is mainly for making changes in the appointment (I answer phone calls from Monday to Friday between 10:00 and 20:00, and if I can not pick up, I’ll call you back), or for support in a crisis. I’m not available to you for a therapeutic dialogue via the phone.
- I will ask you to pay for all sessions in a month upfront. Cancelation of the session in less than 7 days before the planned visit results in paying the full fee for the meeting. At the same time, in such a case, we have one month to make up for your absence on an additional date (beyond the agreed session schedule). In case I would cancel the session, the fee will be accounted for next month.
- We set payment method during the consultation – it is possible to pay by bank transfer in advance for the whole month.
- Our last contact is an important component of a relationship and therapeutic process, so I want it to take place face to face and not by e-mail or telephone.
- It may happen that I want to record sessions (audio or video). In such case you’ll be asked to sign the agreement.
- I give myself the right to ask you about everything and you can always refuse to answer (do not tell untruth, because it simply does not make sense).
- Do not come to the session under the influence of mind-altering substances, unless they are medicines prescribed by your doctor.
- Relationships with my clients are strictly therapeutical.