Counselling Agreement & Consent

About me and how I work

I'm a person-centred counsellor working online across Australia. That means I won't try to fix you or steer you somewhere. My work is to genuinely understand what you're going through and reflect it back so it makes sense, and to walk alongside you while you find your own way through.

I'm a Registered Counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association and work within its Code of Ethics. I have regular clinical supervision, which is a professional requirement and a good thing for you: it means my work is thought about carefully by an experienced colleague.

Counselling isn't medical treatment. I don't diagnose conditions or prescribe medication. If something you bring would be better served by a doctor, psychiatrist or another service, I'll say so and help you find the right person.

What to expect

Sessions run for 55 minutes by secure video. There's nothing you need to prepare. In the first session we'll talk about what's brought you here and what you're hoping for, and get a feel for working together.

How often we meet is up to you: weekly, fortnightly, or as you need. You can stop counselling at any time and don't need to give a reason, though if you're able to, I'd value one last session to finish things properly rather than leaving them mid-air.

Fees and cancellations

• $150 per 55-minute session, payable at the time of booking.
• Payment by card.
• Counselling is GST-free.

If you need to change or cancel a session, please give me at least 24 hours' notice and there's no charge. Cancellations inside 24 hours, or sessions missed without contact, are charged at the full fee.

I know life doesn't always give warning. If something genuinely unavoidable comes up, talk to me. I'd rather sort it out sensibly than hold you to a rule.

Online sessions, the practical bits

• You'll need a private space where you won't be overheard, and a reasonably reliable internet connection.
• Please use headphones if there's any chance of being overheard.
• If we lose connection, I'll try to reconnect. If that doesn't work within a few minutes, I'll call you on the number you've given me.
• Please don't join a session while driving.
• I'll ask for your address at the start of counselling. This isn't to intrude, it's so I can get help to you if you ever became unsafe during a session.

Confidentiality, and its limits

What you tell me stays between us. I hold that seriously; it's foundational to the work.

There are a small number of situations where I may need to share information, and you deserve to know them upfront:

1. If there's a serious and imminent risk to your life or safety, or someone else's. I would act to keep people safe, which may mean contacting emergency services or your emergency contact.
2. If a child or young person is at risk of significant harm. I have legal obligations to report this.
3. If I'm required to by law, for example if my records are subpoenaed by a court.
4. In clinical supervision. I discuss my work with a supervisor, using no identifying details. My supervisor is bound by the same confidentiality.

Wherever it's possible and safe to do so, I'll talk with you first before sharing anything, and tell you what I'm doing and why.

Your records

I keep brief written notes of our sessions. They're stored securely in encrypted practice management software, and only I have access.

I'm required to keep records for seven years after our last session, or, for anyone under 18, until their 25th birthday. You're entitled to ask to see your records; just ask and we'll talk about the best way to do it.

I'll never sell your information, use it for marketing, or share it with anyone outside the circumstances listed above.

Recording and AI-assisted notes

With your permission, I may use a secure tool that listens to our session and drafts my notes, so I can give you my full attention rather than writing while you talk.

If you agree: the session audio is processed to produce the note and is not kept afterwards. Only the written note is stored, in my secure practice records. I read and correct every note myself; I remain fully responsible for what's recorded. I'll tell you each time before I turn it on.

You can say no now, or at any point later, including part-way through a session, and you don't need to give a reason. If you say no, I simply write my notes by hand as counsellors always have. Your choice makes no difference to your session or to how I work with you.

What counselling isn't

I'm not an emergency or crisis service. I work by appointment and I'm not available between sessions for urgent support.

Contact between sessions

You're welcome to email me to arrange or change appointments. I usually reply within one to two business days. Email isn't a secure channel, so please keep it to practical matters rather than anything personal.

Boundaries

Our relationship is a professional one. I won't connect with you on social media or meet you socially, not out of coldness, but because the work depends on that clear, safe space being kept clear.

If something goes wrong

If you're ever unhappy with something in our work, please tell me. I'd genuinely rather hear it and put it right. If you'd rather raise it with someone else, you can contact the Australian Counselling Association, which handles complaints about its members.