Privacy Policy

Maintaining your privacy and confidentiality is critically important to me. One of the most beneficial aspects of counseling is the ability to create a safe space where you can explore all aspects of your life's experiences unfiltered. 

The law protects the privacy of the relationship between a psychotherapist and their client; licensed counselors are ethically and legally required to protect the confidentiality of their clients. Information will not be shared without written permission from the client or, if the client is a minor under the age of eighteen, the client's parent or legal guardian. 

There are, however, conditions under which a client's confidentiality is released or not protected, which include: 

• Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse, for which the provider is required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately. 
• If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person(s), the provider must notify the police and inform the intended victim. 
• If a client intends to harm him or herself, the provider will make every effort to enlist the client's cooperation in ensuring their safety. If the client does not cooperate, the provider will take further measures without the client's permission that are provided by law in order to ensure the client's safety. 
• Information is released directly to the court for court-ordered evaluations or court testimony. 

Please note: Insurance companies request that clients release information to them for authorization of services and reimbursement. This includes the disclosure of a required mental health diagnosis establishing medical necessity for the delivery of counseling services. This leads to reduced privacy and confidentiality to the client, which is one of the reasons Hope and Healing Family Counseling does not bill through insurance providers.