Statement of Understanding
Please read this Statement of Understanding carefully. Be sure to ask me to explain anything you do not understand or that you may have concerns about.
Elisabeth van Assum Counselling affirms that counselling services are accessible to everyone. As such, I am committed to providing a friendly, safe, and welcoming environment for all, inclusive of all gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic situation, religion and ethnicity.
To facilitate a successful counselling experience, it is important that clients understand what is involved in the counselling process and therapeutic relationship. It is most helpful when both the counsellor and the client have a good understanding of their rights and responsibilities. From this mutual understanding, a comfortable working relationship and consensual working relationship can be created.
The purpose of this Statement of Understanding is to provide clarification of what you may expect from me and what may be expected of clients. My fundamental goal of counselling is investing in you well-being and encouraging your agency.
Nature of Counselling
As your counsellor, I will encourage you to set specific goals for counselling and will generally use a client centred, integrated approach to help meet your stated needs. I will work with you to help you achieve your therapeutic goals through unconditional acceptance, empathy, and a willingness to be sincere. It is not my role to evaluate or judge the client’s actions. Participation in counselling therapy is voluntary; however the collaborative outcome is directly influenced by the client’s honesty, openness, and willingness to actively engage in the therapeutic process with the counsellor/therapist. The client may terminate the sessions at any time and that decision will be supported.
Effects of Counselling
As a client progresses through counselling there can be emotional ups and downs. Sometimes in counselling one may feel worse before feeling better - this is a normal part of therapy. While benefits are expected from counselling, specific results are not guaranteed. Counselling is a personal exploration and may lead to major changes in your life. These changes may affect others in your life and some of these life changes could be temporarily distressing. The exact nature of these changes cannot be predicted. Together we will work to achieve the best possible results for you. This issue can be discussed in more detail, if there are any questions or comments. Please be advised that some sessions may involve: unresolved memories, emotions and/or physical sensations surfacing; and after the session, processing may continue.
Counselling Relationship
Ours is a professional relationship rather than a social one. Our contact will be limited to counselling sessions arranged with me except in case of emergency when you may contact me by phone. If I see you in public, I will protect your confidentially by acknowledging you only if you approach me first. I will not discuss details of the counselling sessions in public. I may consult with supervisors, colleagues or other health professionals regarding the management of cases. Every effort is made to protect the identity of you, the client.
Online Counselling
Online counselling refers to providing counselling and/or therapy services remotely using telecommunications technologies, such as video conferencing. One of the benefits of online counselling is that the client and clinician can engage in services without being in the same physical location. This can be helpful in ensuring continuity of care if the client or clinician moves to a different location, takes an extended vacation, pandemic lockdown, or is otherwise unable to continue to meet in person. It is also more convenient and takes less time. Online counselling, however, requires technical competence on both our parts to be helpful. Although there are benefits of online counselling, there are some differences between in-person therapy and online counselling, as well as some risks. For example:
Risks to Confidentiality. Because online counselling sessions take place outside of the therapist’s private office, there is potential for other people to overhear sessions if you are not in a private place during the session. On my end I will take reasonable steps to ensure your privacy. But it is important for you to make sure you find a private place for our session where you will not be interrupted. It is also important for you to protect the privacy of our session on your cell phone or other device. You should participate in therapy only while in a room or area where other people are not present and cannot overhear the conversation.
Issues Related to Technology. There are many ways that technology issues might impact online counselling. For example, technology may stop working during a session, other people might be able to get access to our private conversation, or stored data could be accessed by unauthorized people or companies. Additionally, you may have to have certain computer or cell phone systems to use online counselling services. You are solely responsible for any cost to you to obtain any necessary equipment, accessories, or software to take part in online counselling.
Crisis Management and Intervention. I am not a crisis counsellor and I will not engage in online counselling with clients who are currently experiencing a severe crisis situation requiring high levels of support and intervention. Please call your crisis line, 911 or go to emergency if you are experiencing an immediate threat to your well-being
Online Confidentiality. I have a legal and ethical responsibility to make my best efforts to protect all communications that are a part of our online counselling. I use Doxy.me a PHIPA (Personal Health Act Privacy Act) compliant platform. However, the nature of electronic communications technologies is such that I cannot guarantee that our communications will be kept confidential or that other people may not gain access to our communications. I will try to use updated encryption methods, firewalls, and back-up systems to help keep your information private, but there is a risk that our electronic communications may be compromised, unsecured, or accessed by others. You should also take reasonable steps to ensure the security of our communications (for example, only using secure networks for online counselling sessions and having passwords to protect the device you use for online).
Email Communication
I will with your consent periodically send an email newsletter, emails with resources, emails answering questions, emails with links to relevant community services or emails with homework or exercises. These emails are not an invitation to initiate a discussion or dialogue. These emails are meant to offer resources and insights to support you in your process outside the office. If I disclose personal information in an email (or in session) it is solely for the purpose of supporting you in your therapeutic work. If you have clarifying questions or questions regarding specific instructions I will do my best to answer them efficiently. And from time to time if you wish to send a link to an article or resource you found you wish to share please do forward those along.
I will not conduct therapy over email or respond to emails that are therapeutic in nature. All your concerns can be explored and processed effectively in session. If I do receive an email with any kind of therapeutic processing, I will not read it and I will invite you to bring the material to session. As such, I encourage you not send me long emails describing your process(es). If you feel like writing about your thoughts about therapy I encourage you to keep a journal and maintain those important thoughts there. Your time and therapeutic work outside sessions is valuable and I look forward to hearing about it at our appointed time.
Texting Communication
Texting is only for transactional commuincation such as rescheduing, cancelling, late notice or request for a phone call. I will not respond to text messages that are not transactional.
Appointments
Individual appointments are 50 minutes in length. I value you as a client and your appointment is held exclusively for you. It is important that you arrive on time. Please understand that if you are late, your appointment cannot be extended.
It is always the client’s responsibility to keep track of their appointments and inform me when they need to cancel any sessions they have scheduled.
I believe in empowering my clients and that it benefits them to take full responsibility for their calendar. I do however as a courtesy sent a notification 24 hours and 2 hours before our session.
If you are running late for your appointment please call or text me.
Cancellations
I want to provide the best service possible for all my clients. I also want to ensure that we are utilising my time in the most efficient and effective way possible. There are usually clients on a waiting/cancellation list who would be happy to come in earlier. By providing proper notice of cancellation you give me the opportunity to serve those clients to receive the help they need. You are also ensure you are not charged for a missed session that you will not benefit from.
I have a 24 hour cancellation period and will charge my full amount for missed sessions that are cancelled within the 24 hour window. If there is an emergency I will not charge you for the lost time as I understand life happens and unavoidable circumstances take place.
Again If you do not show up for your appointment, you will be charged your full fee.
For clients covered by EAPs that do not pay for no-shows you will be required to pay for any missed appointments or late cancellations.
Please leave a voice message or send a text message if you are unable to get in touch with me directly. I will always respond either by phone or text that your message has been received confirming that your appointment has been cancelled.
Another appointment will not be made until payment has been received. If you scheduled advanced sessions they will be cancelled if you have an outstanding balance.
Cancellation List
Accepting an earlier appointment while on the cancellation list does not automatically cancel any future sessions. It is always the client’s responsibility to notify me when they need cancel any appointment. However I will make a point of asking if you want to keep the session we have already booked.
Payment & Receipts / Statement of Account
I require eTransfer payment prior to the commencement of each session preferably no more than 24 hours, ideally the day of our meeting if that is convenient with your schedule. If sending a eTransfer PLEASE insure the password is easy for me to guess. If paying by cheque payment can be made at the conclusion of the session.
Clients will be issued a dated receipt by the end of the work week if requested. You may be required to submit this receipt to your extended health benefits plan for reimbursement (if your plan covers our services). Therefore, it is your responsibility to retain the receipt for your records. . Also, I am able to provide you with copies of receipts or a statement of account for services rendered if you lose them.
Fees
My fee as of September 1st 2024 is 163$ (154.24$ fee, 7.76$ GST) for 50 minutes. I have 5 sliding scale slots all of which are currently full with waitlist. Sliding spot priority is given to people who experience barriers to care and systemic vulnerabilities. If you wish to be placed on the waitlist let me know. If over the course of our work you come into financial difficulty please discuss with me so we can come to a mutually agreeable solution. It is not my intent to terminate counselling due to unforeseen financial difficulties and I will work with you to find a therapeutically appropriate solution.
Periodically my fees may increase and I will provide minimum three month’s notice to current clients. However, if you haven’t attended recent sessions you may need to confirm your rate.
Your Rights
Clients always have the right to request a change in the counselling approach, a referral to another counsellor, or termination of therapy. I am accountable to my work with you, I work within my competency and capacity, and if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to discuss these with me at any time. Your input is necessary and valuable in ensuring positive outcomes in the therapeutic process. It is also an essential part of building and maintaining our therapeutic relationship. If after such discussions, you still have concerns and feel they are unresolved and that I have in any way violated your rights, you have a right to file a complaint with the BCACC.
I have an obligation to you to understand and recognize the limits of my abilities. Likewise, I am obliged to openly inform you of these limitations if it seems that more specialized training is required to best address your needs. You are not under coercion to come to session with me and you are not compelled to keep me as your counsellor. It is your choice whether you come to work with me or not and it is your responsibility to communicate if you feel the process is not working for you so that I can best support you in coming up with therapeutically appropriate solutions.
If at any time I feel I have been threatened by a client or my safety is at risk, and after consulting with my Clinical Supervisor and peer support team and they confirm and support me, I will immediately terminate with the client and to the best of my ability offer a referral in the community. I do not take threats lightly and will not tolerate abuse in any form. This does not mean intense feelings and emotions cannot be processed in therapy but if I am ever in a position where my safety is threatened I will take every measure available to me to insure I am protected and safe, this includes legal options, within the bounds of confidentiality, should there be an escalation of behaviours that threaten my safety.
Termination and Closing Files
If I have not heard from a client in over 30 days and there is no communication, I will consider the file closed and terminated; I will then contact someone on my waitlist to take the place of the closed file.
To ensure informed consent and transparency I will after 30 days reach out to you to establish if you wish to book a meeting, put your therapy on hold with the possibility of a future meeting or terminate the counselling relationship. If I do not get a response after 48 hours I will close your file and the relationship will be terminated.
If you wish to take a break from therapy please let me know and if you have a sense for how long; if so then I will keep your file open as an active client and you will be assured a spot if you reach out to book a meeting. It is normal for clients to want to take short or extended breaks, to change up the pace of therapy or complete a piece of work to then establish a new piece something weeks, months or years later.
I encourage that if you wish to terminate with me that a meeting can provide closure for our work together. If you wish to have a referral without a termination meeting please send me an email and I will send you the names of other therapists.
A reminder it is absolutely 100% your right to ask to work with someone else if you experience that I am not the right fit for you, I am more than happy to ensure you get the best service possible from a competent and qualified colleague who is suited to your counselling issues and needs.
Confidentiality
All counselling is strictly confidential except under three circumstances. The following circumstances are the only times that we have a legal or ethical obligation to break confidentiality. If such a situation should arise I would attempt to gain your consent before contacting the relevant authorities:
There is an admission or suspicion of current, not historical, child, vulnerable person or elder abuse (verbal, sexual, physical).
You are an imminent threat to yourself or others, meaning that you are suicidal or homicidal and have expressed either all or combination of a plan, means, time and place.
A court of law issues a subpoena for our records.
I participate in peer supervision and engage the services of a Clinical Consultant who is a Registered Psychologist. During Supervision, cases may be reviewed in a confidential and non-identifying manner. Review of cases helps to ensure that I am providing you with effective therapy.
If you have any questions or concerns about this Statement of Understanding please let me know at our meeting and I will do my best to address and clarify any concerns you may have.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
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