Thank you for choosing Bright Start Bright Future Counselling Center.
The following information will answer most of your questions about what counselling is and what you can expect from this process. Please feel free to ask for clarification or additional information.
Benefits and Risks of Counselling
Many people find counselling to be beneficial. However, counselling can occasionally bring certain emotions to the surface, which may be uncomfortable to deal with. Clients always have the right to not discuss a topic. In addition, clients also have the right to terminate the session or counselling. There is no guarantee of improvement for every situation. Nevertheless, counsellor has been trained to use interventions and techniques that have been researched and proven to be helpful for most individuals.
Your Rights as a Client
In your counselling sessions and with your counsellor, you have the right to feel safe. You have the right to inquire about the professional training, credentials, history, and counselling orientation of your counsellor. You have the right to bring up any questions you have about whether or not the counselling is helpful, about something your counsellor has said or recommended, or if you require clarification of the therapeutic goals or treatment plan during your session.
Client-Therapist Relationship
Your therapist and you have developed a professional relationship based only on therapeutic procedures. This relationship is most effective when it remains professional and exclusively involves therapeutic aspects. This works best when we serve your needs by focusing solely on therapy and eliminating any social, business, or other dual-relationship connections.
Confidentiality
Your counselling sessions and all communication with your therapist are kept confidential by law and professional standards. This means that whatever you and your counsellor talk about stays private. If you have the opportunity to speak with your counsellor in public, your counsellor will not bring up topics that have come up in your counselling sessions. Without your verbal or written consent, no identifiable information from your counselling will be shared with anybody.
Confidentiality Limits If the counsellor obtains a court order to testify or provide documents, if a child under the age of 16 is harmed, or if the client threatens to hurt himself or someone else, the counsellor must release information or notify the linked party. Please be sure to review the Privacy and Security information of the tool that you and your counsellor will be using.
Electronic Counselling Notes
When face-to-face counselling is not possible, online and telephone counselling are frequently employed. Counseling could take place using Internet-based audio or video tools in this situation. Through careful evaluation of the platform employed, every attempt is made to ensure the privacy of your session. However, it is important to understand that the confidentiality of internet programs that store data could be jeopardized due to online security breaches and are not 100% guaranteed to be secure and confidential.
In some cases, your counsellor may be located outside of your country. Your counsellor will let you know if that is the case.
All sessions should be treated like in-office sessions. No outside distractions: turn off cell phones and close other computer programs. No third parties should be in or near the session at any time without the counsellor's knowledge.
Technical problems may occur. If the call is disrupted, the counsellor will call you back. If reconnection cannot occur, the session will be rescheduled through our office at no additional fee. You will receive a phone call during our office hours to reschedule.
If you are in a crisis or an emergency situation that needs immediate attention, where you may be considering harming yourself or someone else, please call 911, contact Crisis Services Canada at 1833-456-4566, text 45645, or immediately go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
Appointment Policy
As you will be given a protected time slot, it means your therapist cannot offer this appointment to anyone else. To help us reliably meet the needs of all our clients, please get yourself familiar with the attendance policy:
1. To schedule an appointment, please call 647-284-2248.
2. We require a minimum of 24 hours notice to cancel or reschedule appointments. Please contact your therapist as soon as you become aware that you need to cancel or reschedule. Failing to do so will result in the full fee charge.
3. If you are late for an appointment, the appointment will still end at the scheduled time.
4. Suppose you cancel or do not show up for two scheduled appointments within a 30-day time period without canceling or rescheduling according to the cancellation policy of 24 hours advance notice, your session time will be made available to other patients.
5. You can call your therapist to schedule a time suitable for you; however, you may be placed on a waiting list if other clients are waiting to use your time slot.
Termination
Ending relationships can be complicated. Therefore, it is essential to have a termination process in order to achieve some closure. The appropriate length of the termination depends on the length and intensity of the treatment. Your therapist may terminate treatment after a proper discussion with you and a termination process if she/he determines that the treatment is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment. Your therapist will not terminate the therapeutic relationship without first discussing and exploring the reasons and purpose of terminating it. If treatment is terminated for any reason or you request another provider, your therapist will provide you with a list of qualified psychotherapists/psychologists to treat you. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source.
Informed Consent
You indicate that you have read, understood, and agree to the information and policies described in this Consent Form by signing this consent form. You have had enough time to ask any questions or obtain clarification on any points that are unclear to you. You attest to the correctness of the above declarations, including all implied consents and authorizations. You freely agree to receive counselling services and acknowledge that you have the right to terminate such treatment or services at any time.
In agreement to the conditions of service stated above, you hereby give consent for your child(ren) to receive counselling at Bright Start Bright Future Counselling Center.
You understand that in separation/divorce when the custody rights of the child(ren) are shared, consent from both parents is necessary for your child(ren) to receive counselling at Bright Start Bright Future Counselling Center.