Therapeutic Contract

Hello, and welcome to Elemental Psychology.

This contract outlines a few important elements of the therapeutic experience, to which you will need to agree before your first session. A return email stating your acceptance of this contract will be sufficient.

INFORMATION PRIVACY

Power Diary, our encrypted practice management software, is commonly used in the e-health industry. Power Diary's telehealth video function is completely secure and does not store your personal information or online video communication. We request that clients do not independently record their sessions. Additionally, we use Proton Mail, a secure email server which uses end-to-end encryption. If you expect to exchange any sensitive information with us via email, you may choose to set up a free Proton Mail account just for this purpose. Your personal information, including your name, email address and phone number (if provided), is kept completely private and will never be shared with anyone.

Due to the risks associated with offering mental health services remotely (by phone and video call), if you choose this method you will be asked to provide the name and contact number of a trusted individual who has the capacity to check on your welfare, should this ever become necessary. Apart from this trusted contact, we will never share your personal information with anyone, unless written permission is expressly given by you.

IN-SESSION CONFIDENTIALITY

Everything we discuss in session is kept completely confidential. The only exceptions to this would be the threat of imminent harm to yourself or another person, or the disclosure of abuse of a minor. Any written notes we make as part of the therapeutic process are stored securely in a physical location, and will be made available to you upon request. We do not use cloud storage, and our video sessions are not recorded.

FEES

Our fees are due on the day of service, and are payable either via credit/debit card, bank deposit or cash (in person only).

Psychology sessions with Miriam Wilkinson ($230 full fee or $185 for pension/healthcare card holders) are eligible for a rebate of $136.35 per 60-minute session from Medicare for eligible clients with a Mental Health Care Plan (see your GP for a referral). This rebate is available for up to 10 sessions per calendar year.

Counselling and coaching sessions with Simon Wilkinson ($200/hour) are not eligible for a Medicare rebate, due to current Government regulations.

REMINDER EMAILS

We routinely send automated booking confirmation and reminder emails, with subject lines such as ‘your appointment is booked’ or ‘your appointment reminder’. If you prefer that these messages are sent via SMS rather than email, please advise us.

CANCELLATIONS

We try to be flexible regarding the cancellation or rescheduling of bookings, while being aware that late cancellations mean others are unable to access that appointment time. Please allow a minimum 24 hours’ notice for cancellations, to avoid forfeiting your appointment fee. Rescheduling your appointment will not attract a penalty. Should circumstances require us to reschedule your appointment, we will provide you the same courtesy of a minimum 24 hours’ notice.

CONTINUITY OF SESSIONS

Whilst some issues may be addressed quite quickly, lasting change generally takes time. Once you undertake therapy, we recommend you commit to a program of regular sessions, to maintain the continuity and momentum of the process.

TERMINATION OF THERAPY

We will work with you at your own pace towards genuine, measurable, and lasting change. When you feel the time is right to suspend or terminate your journey with us, simply raise this during a session. Ending therapy should be a carefully planned and deliberate process, to ensure your progress is cemented and stable.

If you have questions or need clarification on any part of this contract before proceeding, please contact us. Otherwise, please indicate your acceptance of the terms of this contract by return email.

We look forward to meeting you!

Miriam and Simon

ELEMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY