1. Confidentiality
a) Online therapy/communication cannot be guaranteed as completely secure between client and therapist. Ellis Nicolson+associates is limited to Skype’s online security. For more information visit www.skype.com. By consenting to online counselling with Ellis Nicolson+associates via Skype, clients accept this risk.
b) Communications between a client and his or her therapist are privileged and may not be disclosed by the therapist to a third party unless the client consents. Your name or information about you will not be released without your informed, voluntary, and written consent. Written consent must be given by each person participating in the counselling process. Exceptions to confidentiality are as follows:
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Your therapist will inform an appropriate family member, health care professional, or police if a client intends to end his or her life.
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If there is a court order to release a client’s file. Your therapist will not otherwise appear in court or supply file information on behalf of either spouse in a marital or child custody dispute.
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Your therapist will inform the Children’s Aid Society if there is suspicion of a child being at risk or in need of protection due to neglect, or physical, or sexual, or emotional abuse.
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Your therapist will inform a potential victim of violence of a client’s intention to harm.
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In response to litigation initiated by a client against the therapist.
2. Payment
a) Payment is to be made via PayPal. Payments are to be submitted 24 hours prior to scheduled internet counselling appointment.
b) Online therapy sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours notice will be charged at the full fee for the scheduled service.
3. Risks
a) While computer cameras are becoming more sophisticated in terms of picture quality, some nuances and subtleties may be lost through video counselling via Skype, for example, body language, eye contact, etc. Body language plays a critical role in understanding client’s emotional reactions and processing. Clients understand that these nuances/subtleties may be lost or become unclear through internet counselling via Skype.
