Bookings Confirmation & Privacy Policy

Booking Confirmation Policy

If you need to cancel your appointment for any reason, please give us at least 24 hours’ notice. Cancellation of 2 consecutive appointments may result in Logan Counselling Services
reviewing the ability to provide services without a deposit. Upon making an appointment you are acknowledging that you have read and agree to our “No Show Policy” outlined here.

Informed Consent

As a client, you have the right to:

• Receive respectful treatment and supportive counselling with a constant focus on reaching personal wholeness.
• Refuse treatment on a particular intervention strategy.
• Ask questions at any time.
• Know the availability of the counsellor and be informed about waiting periods.
• Know that the counsellor will not accept any gifts.
• Have full information about donations and method of payment.
• Choose your own lifestyle and to have that lifestyle respected by your counsellor.
• Have full information about the counsellor’s areas of specialisation and limitations.
• Have full information about the counsellor’s therapeutic orientation and any technique which is routinely used.
• Have full information regarding your diagnosis if your counsellor uses one.
• Consult as many counsellors as you choose until you find someone suitable.
• Experience a safe setting, free from physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.
• Agree to a written contract of counselling goals, treatment plan and release form.
• Talk about any part of your counselling with anyone you choose, including another counsellor.
• Ask questions about the counsellor’s values, background, and attitudes that are relevant to counselling, and to be provided with respectful answers.
• Request that the counsellor evaluate the progress of the counselling.
• Have full information regarding the limits of confidentiality, with whom and under what circumstances the counsellors may discuss your case, usually only within Logan Counselling Services and Independent Supervisors, at their discretion.
• Know that the counsellor may break confidentiality in the following situations:

1. Client (or client’s legal representative) gives permission.
2. Client is suicidal and there is a clear danger of suicide.
3. Client is homicidal or is threatening to engage in behaviours where significant danger to others is likely.
4. Client is a child and the counsellor has evidence that the child is being sexually abused.
5. Counsellor has evidence that a client is sexually abusing a minor.
6.  When requested by the relevant government authorities.

• Terminate counselling at any time.
• Disclose only that personal information which you choose, and refuse any question if you choose.
• Require the counsellor to send a report with your written authorisation regarding your counselling and have access to summaries of written files about you at your request with a forty-eight-hour turnaround. However, records will still remain within the files of the counsellor or copies thereof. This information will only be used for the above purposes.

Privacy Policy

As part of providing a counselling service to you, Logan Counselling Services will need to collect and record personal information from you that is relevant to your current situation. This information will be a necessary part of the assessment and treatment that is conducted.

All personal information gathered by the counsellor during the provision of the counselling service will remain secure except when:

1.  It is subpoenaed by a court.
2. Failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at risk.
3. Your prior approval has been obtained to:
   a. Provide a written report to another professional agency (e.g., a GP or a lawyer).
   b. Discuss the material with another person (e.g., a parent or employer).
4. Requested by the relevant government authorities.

As practitioners we abide by the Privacy Act 1988 and use information collected only for the purpose of individual client assistance. This information is stored securely on a third-party database. All personal information provided is confidential except in the case of court order (subpoena) disclosure of a serious criminal offence, or a life-threatening situation (suicidal or homicidal intent). All clients are requested to report suicidal impulses to their general practitioner or other medical treatment provider. Within the context of this counselling practice, cases may be discussed at either Individual or Peer Group Supervision sessions without identifying details.

You may access the material recorded in your file upon request, subject to the exception in National Privacy Principle 6 (48 hours’ notice required).