THE HATTER CENTRAL®

At THE HATTER CENTRAL®,

We wholeheartedly believe that full participation in coaching and psychotherapy sessions can result in a number of benefits to you, including improving interpersonal relationships and resolution of the specific concerns that led you to seek behavioural intervention. Working toward these benefits requires effort on your part. Psychotherapy requires your very active involvement, honesty, and openness in order to change your thoughts, feelings and/or behavior. I will ask for your feedback and views on intervention sessions, its progress, and other aspects of psychotherapy; and I will expect you to respond openly and honestly.

Sometimes more than one approach can be helpful in dealing with a certain situation. During evaluation or coaching, remembering or talking about unpleasant events, feelings, or thoughts can result in your experiencing considerable discomfort or strong feelings of anger, sadness, worry, fear, etc. or experiencing anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. I may challenge some of your assumptions or perceptions or propose different ways of looking at, thinking about, or handling situations that can cause you to feel upset, angry, depressed, challenged, or disappointed.

Attempting to resolve issues that brought you to therapy in the first place, such as personal or interpersonal relationships, may result in changes that were not originally intended. Psychotherapy may result in decisions about changing behaviors, employment, substance use, schooling, housing, or relationships. Sometimes a decision that is positive for one family member is viewed quite negatively by another family member. Change will sometimes happen quickly, but more often it will take time and patience on your part. There is no guarantee that psychotherapy will yield positive or intended results.

During the course of therapy, I will utilize various psychological and motivational approaches according, in part, to the problem that is being treated and my assessment of what will best benefit you. These approaches include but are not limited to applied behavioural principles, cognitive-behavioural therapies, psycho-dynamic, existential, system/family, developmental (adult, child, family), and psycho-educational coaching techniques.

The FIRST STEP in your journey is an initial consultation in order to answer all queries, schedule a formal functional analysis, record those findings, recommend and collaborate on the appropriate therapy plan. This will provide an overview of present abilities, state of mind and/ or to measure language, cognitive development based on applied behavioural principle's normative criteria. 

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You as the client understand that therapy and intervention in-person sessions, “personal” face-to-face interactions is the only form of service that I will be providing due to the fact that online dynamic enables the lack of visual and audio cues in the therapy process to which you may have previously come to expect. Educational sessions are also always conducted in office and never in-home.

Clients understand that telephone/online psychotherapy with me is not a substitute for medication under the care of a psychiatrist or doctor. You understand that online and telephone therapy is not available nor appropriate if you are experiencing a crisis or having suicidal or homicidal thoughts.

As stated previously.

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The core notion affirms human emotions and behavior are predominantly generated by ideas, beliefs, attitudes, and thinking, never by events themselves. Consequently changing one’s thinking leads to an emotional and behavioural change. Therefore, coaching only works when both the client and practitioner are able to go deeply in sessions towards congruence and focused on the goals.

The world we live in this day and age seeks to connect at every integral point. Hence, it shrinks us to a community that becomes small and intimate. If we see each other outside of the office, we will smile and say hi in a generally friendly way as we do everyone in our community.  Not all dual relationships are unethical or avoidable. However, sexual involvement between therapist and client is never part of the therapy process as well as other actions or dual relationship situations that might impair your therapist’s objectivity, clinical judgment, or therapeutic effectiveness or that could be exploitative in nature.

In addition, I will never acknowledge working therapeutically with anyone without his/her written permission. In some instances, even with permission, I will preserve the integrity of our working relationship. For this reason I will not accept any invitations via social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or Pinterest, nor will I respond to blogs written by clients or accept comments on my blog from clients.

Participation in coaching and psychotherapy sessions can result in a number of benefits to you, including improving interpersonal relationships and resolution of the specific concerns that led you to seek behavioural intervention. Working toward these benefits requires effort on your part. Psychotherapy requires your very active involvement, honesty, and openness in order to change your thoughts, feelings and/or behavior. I will ask for your feedback and views on intervention sessions, its progress, and other aspects of psychotherapy; and I will expect you to respond openly and honestly.

Sometimes more than one approach can be helpful in dealing with a certain situation. During evaluation or coaching, remembering or talking about unpleasant events, feelings, or thoughts can result in your experiencing considerable discomfort or strong feelings of anger, sadness, worry, fear, etc. or experiencing anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. I may challenge some of your assumptions or perceptions or propose different ways of looking at, thinking about, or handling situations that can cause you to feel upset, angry, depressed, challenged, or disappointed.

Attempting to resolve issues that brought you to therapy in the first place, such as personal or interpersonal relationships, may result in changes that were not originally intended. Psychotherapy may result in decisions about changing behaviors, employment, substance use, schooling, housing, or relationships. Sometimes a decision that is positive for one family member is viewed quite negatively by another family member. Change will sometimes happen quickly, but more often it will take time and patience on your part. There is no guarantee that psychotherapy will yield positive or intended results.

During the course of therapy, I will utilize various psychological and motivational approaches according, in part, to the problem that is being treated and my assessment of what will best benefit you. These approaches include but are not limited to applied behavioural principles, cognitive-behavioural therapies, psycho-dynamic, existential, system/family, developmental (adult, child, family), and psycho-educational coaching techniques.

Due to the nature of the therapeutic process and the fact that it often involves making a full disclosure with regard to many matters which may be of a confidential nature, it is agreed that should there be legal proceedings (such as, but not limited to divorce and  custody disputes, injuries, lawsuits, etc.), neither you (client) nor your attorney, nor anyone else acting on your behalf will call on me to testify in court or at any other proceeding, nor will a disclosure of the psychotherapy records  be requested.

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All disputes arising out of or in relation to this agreement to provide psychotherapy services shall first be referred to mediation, before, and as a pre-condition of the initiation of arbitration. The mediator shall be a neutral third party. The cost of such mediation, if any, shall be split equally, unless otherwise agreed. In the event that mediation is unsuccessful, any unresolved controversy related to this agreement should be submitted to and settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the Association of the Counselling Therapy of Alberta which are in effect at the time the demand for arbitration is filed.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that your account is overdue (unpaid) and there is no agreement on a payment plan, I can use legal means (court, collection agency, etc.) to obtain payment. The prevailing party in arbitration or collection proceedings shall be entitled to recover a reasonable sum for attorneys’ fees. In the case of arbitration, the arbitrator will determine that sum.

During the initial intake process and the first couple of sessions, I will assess if I can be of benefit to you. If you have requested online consultation, my assessment will include your suitability to psychotherapy delivered via technology.  I do not accept clients who, in my opinion, I cannot help. In such a case, I will give you a number of referrals that you may contact. If at any point during psychotherapy, I assess that I am not effective in helping you reach your therapeutic goals, I am obliged to discuss this with you up to and including termination of treatment.  In such a case, I would give you a number of referrals that may be of help to you. If you request and authorize in writing, I will talk to the psychotherapist of your choice in order to help with the transition.

If at any time you want another professional’s opinion or wish to consult with another therapist, I will assist you in finding someone qualified, and, if I have your written consent, I will provide her or him with the essential information needed. You have the right to terminate therapy at any time. If you choose to do so, I will offer to provide you with names of other qualified professionals whose services you might prefer.

All information disclosed within sessions and the written records pertaining to those sessions are confidential and may not be revealed to anyone without your written permission, except where disclosure is required by law. Likewise, you are expected to keep our communications confidential and you understand that all records of communication between client and coach/interventionist remain the property of THE HATTER CENTRAL®. Verbatim material from therapy sessions remain in the client record and should never be revealed publicly unless both client and coach/interventionist agree.

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Some of the circumstances where disclosure is required by the law are: where there is a reasonable suspicion of child, dependent or elder, abuse or neglect; and where a client presents a danger to self, to others, to property, or is gravely disabled (for more details see also Notice of Privacy Practices form).

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Disclosure may be required pursuant to a legal proceeding.  If you are involved in a custody dispute or if you place your mental status at issue in litigation initiated by you, the defendant may have the right to obtain the psychotherapy records and/or testimony by me. In couple and family therapy, or when different family members are seen individually, confidentiality and privilege do not apply between the couple or among family members. I will use my clinical judgment when revealing such information. I will not release records to any outside party unless I am authorized to do so by all adult family members who were part of the treatment.

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If there is an emergency during our work together, or in the future after termination, In which I become concerned about your personal safety, the possibility of you injuring someone else, or about you receiving proper psychiatric care, I will do whatever I can within the limits of the law, to prevent you from injuring yourself or others and to ensure that you receive the proper medical care. For this purpose, I may also contact the police, hospital or an emergency contact whose name you have provided.

Confidentiality of Online, Cell Phone and Fax Communication

We communicate via email for scheduling purposes only, all therapeutic issues are discussed in the office. Additionally,

• Text messaging via mobile phone is acceptable for appointments and housekeeping issues only.

• I do not store your name in my phone.

• If you call me, please be aware that unless we are both on land line phones, the conversation is not confidential.

• If you send a fax to me, my fax is secure.

• Any computer files referencing our communication are maintained using secure and encrypted measures.

• I will not respond to personal and clinical concerns via regular email.

• If you wish to use email as a way to “journal” information between sessions, you understand that I may not have the opportunity to review your journal emails until our next scheduled session.

• You understand that emails between sessions that contain confidential information may be intercepted in transmission.

 

I make every effort to keep all information confidential. Likewise, If we are working online together, I ask that you determine who has access to your computer and electronic information from your location. This would include family members, co-workers, supervisors and friends and whether or not confidentiality from your work or personal computer may be compromised.  I encourage you to only communicate through a computer that you know is safe i.e. wherein confidentiality can be ensured.  Be sure to fully exit all online counseling sessions and emails.

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If you used location-based services on your mobile phone, you may wish to be aware of the privacy issues related to using these services. I do not place my practice as a check-in location on various sites such as Foursquare. However, if you have GPS tracking enabled on your device, it is possible that others may surmise that you are a therapy client due to regular check-ins at my office on a weekly basis. Please be aware of this risk if you are intentionally “checking in,” from my office or if you have a passive LBS app enabled on your phone.

 

It is not a regular part of my practice to search for client information online through search engines such as Google or social media sites such as Facebook. Extremely rare exceptions may be made during times of crisis. If I have a reason to suspect that you are in danger and you have not been in touch with me via our 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 I ever resort to such means, I will fully document it and discuss it with you when we next meet.

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If you should find THE HATTER CENTRAL® on any search engine or social media sites, please know that my listing is not a request for a testimonial, rating, or endorsement from you as my client.

Asking for a testimonial from you is unethical practice on my part.

If you do choose to write something on a business review site, I hope you will keep in mind that you may be sharing personally revealing information in a public forum. I urge you to create a pseudonym that is not linked to your regular email address or friend networks for your own privacy and protection. Please be aware that if you have a complaint that you want me to be know about, I may not see your post on a review site. My website has a review section that is confidential and will e sent directly to my work email. A response will be given within 72 hours from the date it was received. Also, I ask that you will discuss your concerns with me personally. If you do have a complaint or concern about my services and you are not comfortable discussing the matter with me you may make inquiry to my licensing boards. 

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All clients are required to read and sign Holistic Behavioral Solutions informed consent and policy documents prior to your first visit.

 

Please note that you may schedule an appointment the website. Your scheduled appointment indicates acceptance of our HIPAA and informed consent policies which are regularly updated.

 

If you are in crisis or this is a life threatening emergency go to the nearest emergency room for assistance. They will have someone to help you there. Office and online appointments are NOT appropriate for acute and crisis situations. If you are a current client, please contact me and we will discuss AFTER you are seen by someone in the emergency room.

 

In coaching/intervention sessions, confidentiality is key. Your confidence is safeguarded with the exceptions of harm to self or others. This is outlined in the informed disclosure above.

 

You will be seen according to your confirmed appointment, we use an online scheduling system which will send a reminder email. We have gotten great feedback on this tool and continue to use it in our practice. There are several time options when you schedule including abbreviated sessions and extended sessions, please book the one that works best for you.  If the office is closed, you will be unable to book an appointment.

 

If you need a session that is unavailable, please email us and we will do our best to accommodate your schedule. You are important to us. The office is open every day except Sunday, we have extended hours and a quick response time.

 

Thank you for taking the time to visit and read the policies and procedures of THE HATTER CENTRAL®. A hard copy of all policies and procedures listed here will be provided to you for signage acknowledging that you have read them and understand. If you have any questions or need clarification, please feel free to contact me. It is a lot of info to process. 

Learning practical life skills can be an exciting and challenging time in both yours and your child’s life. I define successful independent life skills, such potty training as having the ability to lower his/her underpants (as well as deal with other clothing), completing the act of urinating and/or defecating in the toilet, wiping themselves, flushing and re-dressing themselves.

Children ages 3.5-7 years of age are expected to be able to completely potty independently (as described in the above paragraph). This policy is in place because the therapy offices are operated in true independent and functional settings.

If a child has three or more accidents within a three week timeframe, a probationary warning will be issued. If another accident occurs during the probationary period, the child will be required to stay home until securely potty trained. The child’s place will be held for the remainder of the month. Required potty training is standard practice of the THE HATTER CENTRAL®

Current rates for coaching services and packages are posted on the website. Coaching and psychotherapy services are “fee for service” and that means that fees are due at the time of your appointment. I do not participate on insurance panels as either a preferred or out-of-network provider.

Session payments via credit or debit card can be processed through my website, in -person or through e-transfer banking or Apple Pay.  Sessions are generally purchased in 60 up to 180 minute increments.

Since scheduling of an appointment involves the reservation of time specifically for you, a minimum of 24-hour notice is required for re-scheduling or canceling an appointment. Unless we reach a different agreement, the full fee will be charged for sessions missed without such notification.

If we are scheduled for an online synchronous chat, audio or video conference and we are unable to connect or are disconnected during a session due to a technological breakdown, please try to reconnect within 10 minutes.  If re-connection is not possible, contact me to schedule a new session time.