INFORMED CONSENT FOR EVALUATION AND TREATMENT

A psychological therapy or psychotherapy is a relationship between client and psychologist that works, partly, thanks to the rights and responsibilities clearly defined by each of the parties to the therapy. These help to create a safety framework where you can feel comfortable and where the therapy can take place.

As a client of a psychotherapy, you have certain rights that it is important for you to know in order to facilitate the development of your therapy and your wellbeing. However, there are certain limitations concerning your right to confidentiality that must be taken into account, as explained below. On the other hand, the therapist also has responsibilities.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE THERAPIST

I. Confidentiality

With the exception of certain specific exceptions described below, you have the absolute right to confidentiality in therapy. The psychologist can not communicate without your permission the content of the treatment, not even the fact that you are in therapy with us.

We may communicate strictly necessary information to other health care providers or family members without your prior consent only in case of an emergency. We will always act to protect your privacy. In case you indicate that we can share information with someone you trust, you have the right to revoke this decision at any time.

In case you and your partner attend couples therapy and decide to have some individual sessions, what is said in the individual sessions is considered part of the couples therapy and can be discussed in the joint sessions. Hence, you should not discuss what you do not want to share with your partner. This policy will be reminded before individual sessions start.

The following cases are legal exceptions to your right to confidentiality. You will be informed in case it is believed that they should be put into practice.

  1. If there are indications that you may harm another person, we must warn the person and your intentions. We will also have to contact the police and request that the possible victim is protected.
  2. If there is evidence that you are mistreating or neglecting a vulnerable child or adult, or if you give us information about someone who is doing this, we are required to inform the protective services.
  3. If there is evidence that you are in imminent danger of harming yourself, we should call the police.

II. Data protection rules and record keeping

All data collected is dealt with in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR).

  • What data do we collect? We collect the following data: personal identification information and the records about your sessions (the interventions that have taken place, and the topics discussed during therapy).
  • How do we collect your data? You directly provide us with the data we collect. We collect data and process data when you: register online and request an appointment, use or view our website via your browser’s cookies, and when you attend a session. 
  • How will we use your data? We, including the secretariat of our company, collect your data so that we can process your request for services. Your data will be treated as confidential and under no circumstances will it be used for marketing purposes.
  • How do we store your data? We maintain records about your data. The records are confidential and kept in a safe place where no other person can access.

III. Other rights

You have the right to ask questions about everything that happens in therapy. We are always willing to discuss how and why we have decided to make the interventions we have decided to do. In case you believe that the therapist is not right for you, you can request at any time the recommendation of another psychologist or freely leave the therapy.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

You are responsible for attending the session at the scheduled time. The sessions last approximately 45 minutes. If we start late, we will finish by the scheduled time not to run over another person’s session. 

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please let us know at least 24h in advance before your appointment. By email (joel@psy.brussels) or by WhatsApp (+32 486 02 22 02).

Otherwise, we reserve the right to charge you a fee: 

  • 40 €, when the appointment has not been cancelled
  • 25 €, if cancelled less than 4 hours before the appointment
  • 15 €, if cancelled between 24 hours and 4 hours before the appointment

If you do not show up in two consecutive sessions and you do not respond to rescheduling attempts, we will assume that you have dropped out of therapy and leave room for someone else.

You are responsible for paying your session weekly, unless other arrangements have been made in advance. Payments are made as agreed.

If you are unhappy with the content of the therapy, it is your obligation to let us know so that we can respond to your concerns.

THERAPY APPROACH

Each psychologist has a therapeutic approach, which comes (or derives) from a theoretical framework and an academic background that allow us to have the necessary criteria to decide the best applicable technique.

We use an eclectic approach within the Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy. That is, our theoretical framework is the so-called Cognitive-Behavioural psychology, according to which dysfunctional emotions or behaviours are believed to stem from dysfunctional thinking. By changing some thoughts, people can change how they feel and what they do. We also incorporate techniques of other therapies.