CANCELATION / NO-SHOW POLICY

If you need to cancel or reschedule, you must give 48 hours notice. Counseling sessions are individualized and many hours are spent working on your case, even when you're not in the room. We also need time to contact other clients on our waiting list to fill empty appointments.

A fee for half of your normal session will be billed for no-show appointments or same day cancellations.

NOTE: We are aware that urgent and special needs for same day cancellations may present themselves, but they need to be communicated with your counselor as soon as possible to avoid potential fees.

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Due to concerns for confidentiality, we follow a policy of conduct on social media sites. You are encouraged to take your own privacy as seriously as we take our commitment of confidentiality to you.

We have various social media accounts (ie: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.), as do our clients. Viewing or sharing our online activities without consent or a without a specific purpose could potentially have a negative influence on the counseling relationship. If there are things from your online life that you wish to share with your counselor, please bring them into the sessions where those things can be viewed and explored in context.

This policy is not meant to keep you from sharing that you are in counseling, or working with a particular counselor; you may do so wherever and with whomever you like. Confidentiality means that we cannot tell people, or reveal to the public, that you are a client. Digital devices and social media create unique situations where your personal information may be made public.

Friending: Counselors are not permitted to accept “friend” requests from current or former clients on their personal social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.). Adding clients as “friends” on these sites can compromise your confidentiality and our respective privacy. It may also blur the boundaries of our counseling relationship. If you have questions about this, please bring them up when you meet with your counselor.

Liking/Following: You are welcome to “like” or “follow” our social media feeds and read or share things we post; however, because social media sites are public spaces, anyone who can see our social media pages can see your post or comment. In addition, when you post, comment, or “like” a page, it will be published on your page as well. You are welcome to use your own discretion in choosing whether to follow our practice, or the counselors. In order to maintain ethical boundaries, counselors are not permitted to follow you back.

Texting/ Messaging: You may use SMS (mobile phone text messaging) to request appointments or to request a phone call from your counselor, but be aware that sending a text is no guarantee that we will see it. Otherwise, do not use text messaging or messaging on Social Networking sites in order to contact your counselor, and never use them to discuss particulars of your sessions. Engaging with your counselor in this way could compromise your confidentiality. It may also create the possibility that these exchanges become a part of your legal medical record and will need to be documented and archived in your chart.

Use of Search Engines: It is not a regular part of our practice to search for clients on Google or Facebook or other search engines. Due to the fact that counselors are mandated reporters, extremely rare exceptions may be made during times of crisis. If a counselor has reason to suspect you are in danger and you have not been in touch with your counselor via usual means (coming to appointments, phone, or email) there might be an instance in which using a search engine (to find you, find someone close to you, or to check on your recent status updates) becomes necessary as part of ensuring your welfare. These are unusual situations and if your counselor resorts to such means, the information will be fully documented and discussed with you during your next session.

Social Media Business Sites: You may find our counseling service on sites such as Yelp, Healthgrades, Google, Bing, or other places which list businesses. Some of these sites include forums in which users rate their providers and add reviews. Many of these sites automatically add listings regardless of whether the business has added itself to the site. If you should find our services on any of these sites, please know that this listing is not a request for a testimonial, rating, or endorsement from you as a client. The American Counseling Association’s Ethics Code prohibits counselors from requesting testimonials for marketing purposes. You have a right to express yourself on any site you wish; however, due to confidentiality, we cannot respond to any review on any of these sites whether it is positive or negative. Our hope is that you will bring your feelings and reactions concerning your treatment directly into the counseling process. If you do choose to write something on a business review site, please keep in mind that you may be sharing personally revealing information in a public forum.

Location-Based Services (LBS): If you use location-based service, or passive GPS tracking on your phone, please be aware that it's possible for others to determine that you are a client due to regular check-ins at our office.

Thank you for taking the time to review our Policies. If you have questions about anything within these policies, you are encouraged to bring them up with your counselor or contact us directly.