Your privacy is one of the most important parts of the therapeutic relationship. Creating a safe, confidential space allows you to speak openly about difficult thoughts, emotions, and life experiences.
I am committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with applicable professional, ethical, and legal requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Your Information Is Confidential
What you share during therapy is treated as confidential, with limited exceptions required by law or professional ethics.
In most situations, I cannot release information about your treatment without your written permission. This includes speaking with family members, physicians, attorneys, or other professionals unless you have provided authorization.
Confidentiality helps create an environment where you can speak honestly and openly without fear that your personal information will be shared unnecessarily.
When Confidentiality May Be Limited
There are certain situations in which I may be legally or ethically required to disclose information without your permission. These may include:
- Serious risk of harm to yourself
- Serious risk of harm to another person
- Suspected abuse or neglect of a child, elder, or vulnerable adult
- Court orders or other circumstances in which disclosure is required by law
Whenever possible and appropriate, I will discuss these situations with you before information is released.
HIPAA and Your Privacy
HIPAA is a federal law designed to protect your health information.
It provides important rights regarding your health information, including the ability to request access to your records, request corrections when appropriate, and understand how your information may be used and disclosed.
Additional information about your privacy rights and how your health information is handled is provided as part of the informed consent process.
Privacy for Children and Adolescents
When working with children and adolescents, parents or legal guardians may have certain legal rights regarding treatment information.
At the same time, I strive to provide an age-appropriate level of privacy so that young clients feel safe discussing important concerns. The balance between parental involvement and a young person’s confidentiality is discussed at the beginning of treatment.
Electronic Communication
While reasonable precautions are taken to protect your privacy, electronic communications such as email, text messaging, and website contact forms may not always be completely secure.
These methods are best used for scheduling, initial inquiries, or administrative matters. Please avoid sending highly sensitive clinical information electronically.
If you need immediate assistance or are experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Website Privacy
When you contact me through this website, you may choose to provide personal information such as your name, email address, telephone number, or information included in your message. This information is used to respond to your inquiry.
The website contact form uses Akismet to help identify and reduce spam. Information submitted through the form may therefore be processed for spam-detection purposes.
Please avoid including highly sensitive or urgent clinical information in the contact form. Submitting a contact form, sending an email, or otherwise contacting me through this website does not establish a therapist-client relationship.
Questions About Privacy
If you have questions about confidentiality, HIPAA, or how your information is protected, I encourage you to ask. Understanding your privacy rights is an important part of beginning therapy with confidence.
