Scheduling and
Appointment Times: Prior
to scheduling your first session I will conduct a brief
consultation with you over the telephone. During this
interchange we may discuss your reason for seeking therapy,
prior exposure to counseling, scheduling concerns, fees and
insurance coverage. I make a concerted effort to work
cooperatively with my clients in arranging a feasible
appointment time.
Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday Thursday 9am
to 7pm, Wednesday 2pm to 8pm, Friday 8am to 2pm.
Session
Duration/Cancellation Policy:
Therapy, counseling, and consultation sessions are 50 minutes
in duration. Group sessions are 1 ½ hours in length. I reserve
this time for your meeting. Therefore, if you need to cancel
an appointment please provide me with a minimum of 48 hours
notice (weekdays) in order to avoid being charged for the session.
Insurance companies will not pay for missed sessions. You will
be responsible for the payment directly if an appointment is
missed without sufficient notice. If you miss an appointment
without prior notification due to exceptional circumstances,
feel free to discuss the matter with me. If you are late, you
will be seen for the time remaining and charged for the full
fee. When I am on vacation or leave from my office I arrange
for a therapist to cover my practice; who is available to you
at your discretion.
Emergencies:
If you have an emergency and feel you need to speak with me
prior to your next scheduled appointment, please call my
office at 206. 523.5028. I will return your call, as soon as
possible. If you feel your situation is urgent and cannot
wait, you may call the Crisis Clinic at 206. 461.3222, 911, or go
to the nearest hospital emergency room.
Decisions for Your
Consideration:
Please consider that not all therapists and clients work well
together. It is your responsibility to choose a therapist and
approach that works best for you. If you feel my approach is
not right for you, let me know. Your discomfort may have to do
with the issues which you are dealing with or the therapeutic
process it self. It is important that you tell me your concern
about any aspect of our work together so we can discuss it.
Whether or not you review your concerns, you are free to end
my services whenever, you believe ending is appropriate. I
will provide referrals to other clinicians, if you would like
them. Participation in treatment does not guarantee a specific
outcome or efficaciousness.
The Right to
Confidentiality and
Privileged Information:
Information can only be released to others with your signed
consent unless one of the five following exceptions
established by law should arise:
- if I become aware that you are abusing, exploiting, or
neglecting a child under age 18, a developmentally
disabled person, or an elderly person, a report must be
made to the appropriate authorities (RCW 26.44);
- if you become a danger to others, I must protect the
other person(s) and you by warning the other person at
risk and report the danger to the appropriate authorities
(RCW 71.05 120);
- if you become mentally ill and become unable to take
care of your basic needs or become a danger to yourself
and others and also refuse treatment, I must report your
condition to the authorities (RCW 71.05);
- if you tell me you are suffering from a HIV related
illness and do not have a physician providing for you
care, I must report identities of your IV drug using or
sexual partner(s) to the local health care officer (WAC
248-100-072); and
- under certain selected circumstances the court may
subpoena your records (Chapter 71.05 RCW and Chapter 70.02
RCW).
I will obtain professional consultation as I feel is in the
best interest of our counseling sessions.
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