<strong>PRIVACY &amp; CONFIDENTIALITY</strong>

<strong>Privacy and Confidentiality</strong> is one of the cornerstones of a healing and empowering therapeutic process. It is important for clients to feel that they have a safe place to share and process experiences and predicaments that are significant to them. All the information that a client conveys in therapy must be protected in accordance with the Federal and Provincial standards pertaining to the privacy of Health information. With this in mind, it is important to know that information can only be shared with the full informed consent of a client. The only exceptions to the above level of Confidentiality include the following:
<ul>
<li> When there are suspicions, reports or disclosures that there is past or present abuse or neglect of children, vulnerable adults and or elders.</li>
<li> When a therapist suspects a client is in danger of seriously harming himself/ herself or has threatened to seriously harm another person.</li>
</ul>
In all of the above instances a therapist is legally mandated to contact the appropriate authorities for further investigation so that safety can be assured.

<strong>CLIENT RECORDS</strong>

<strong>Clients’ Health records</strong> belong to them and a therapist acts as the custodian of that information. Therefore, clients can gain copies of their information by requesting this in writing. The already indicated hourly session rates will be applied to accommodate all such requests.

COURT APPEARANCE

Marriage and Family Therapist (MFTs) are neutral when assisting couples with their relational goals. This means that MFTs are not helpful advocates for either party in divorce proceedings.  Most psychotherapists are also not able to offer any legal diagnoses in court pertaining to a client’s mental health condition.