Informed Consent and Therapy Agreement
Updated: 30th January 2023
Seeking Counselling / Psychotherapy is a big step. We hope to make this a fruitful and comfortable journey for you.
We conform to the Professional Terms, Ethics, Confidentiality and Legal Obligations of the Counselling / Psychotherapy Profession, and adopt the Code of Ethics outlined by the Singapore Association of Counsellors (SAC).
We also adopt the Code of Ethics and Regulation from other Organizations, such as APA and BACP in our own efforts for Best Practises.
If you have any concerns or issues, please raise them with your Therapist or the Administrative Staff at the Centre for Psychotherapy. All administrative staff practise the same Code of Ethics and Confidentiality as Counsellors as part of our Standard Operating Procedure.
Please clear any doubt prior to filling in and signing the Registration Form at the Centre for Psychotherapy. By filling in the Registration Form, or by making an Appointment with Centre for Psychotherapy via any method, you agree to the Counselling Contract and the terms set in this document. We have tried to keep the language of this document as simple and concise as possible. If you do not understand any point set out in these documents, please ask us before filling in the Registration Form.
You have the Right to cancel this Contract anytime, by informing the Centre for Psychotherapy that you intend to do so.
If you are below the age of 18, please get a Parent / Guardian to read this Contract and explain its contents to you. Consent from a Parent / Guardian is required for Clients who are below the age of 18.
This contract / agreement is made between you (the client), your parent / guardian (if applicable) and your therapist / counsellor at Centre for Psychotherapy.
1. The Terms of this Contract
1.1. The terms of the contract are important and binding and are updated regularly. Please check back to get the latest update of the Contract. If you do not agree with any portion of the Contract (Updated or otherwise) please let us know. Disagreement with any part of the contract constitutes a Non-Consent situation, which terminates this Therapy Contract. Centre for Psychotherapy will not be able to provide / continue to provide Her services to you in such a case. For purposes of clarity, the person receiving Therapy / Counselling shall hereon be referred to as the “Client,” and the person providing Therapy / Counselling shall be known as the “Therapist” and/or “Counsellor.”
1.2. This Contract applies to any mode of Therapy / Counselling Session provided by Centre for Psychotherapy, including but not limited to, Online, In Person (Face to Face), Telephone, or any other mode as preferred by the Client and/or Therapist.
1.3. Updates to this Contract / Agreement can be found at the Centre for Psychotherapy Website (“website”).
1.3.1. Agreeing to this contract / agreement at any point in time confirms your acceptance of future updates to this agreement / contract. Such changes / amendments may be found on the website at the following link:
1.3.2. Please check the above website link regularly for updates / changes / amendments to this contract / agreement.
2. Confidentiality
Confidentiality is an important aspect in Counselling and Psychotherapy. Centre for Psychotherapy takes Confidentiality very seriously. In fact, we do not utilize Online Systems for Client information / Case Notes for this very reason.
2.1. All sessions are conducted in Confidence, and may be recorded on Video, Audio or Both, which includes Security related Surveillance Video and Audio. You are providing informed consent of the same once you register with the Centre for Psychotherapy.
2.2. Such Video and / or Audio, including Case Notes, Intake / Registration Forms, and other documents related to the Client, shall only be accessible to Centre for Psychotherapy’s Counsellors, or where required by Legal / Judicial Authorities. All such persons shall abide by the same Code of Ethics and Confidentiality as Counsellors and Psychotherapists, or the Code of Ethics and Confidentiality of their own Profession.
2.3. Everything shared by you is confidential. However, there are certain exceptions by Law, which include:
2.3.1. If there is an indication of harm to yourself.
2.3.2. If there is an indication of harm to anyone else.
2.3.3. If there is an indication of any illegal activity deemed illegal by Law.
2.4. Counsellors and Psychotherapists (even Senior Counsellors and Therapists) have regular Supervision, conducted by Professionals who abide by Ethics and Confidentiality Laws. Obtaining Supervision is also the Professional Responsibility of Counsellors and Psychotherapists.
2.5. Your case may be taken to Supervision by your Counsellor. This allows for the best possible service to be offered to Clients. In doing so,
2.5.1. The Therapist / Counsellor may record the session on Video / Audio, with your
informed consent. The Client retains the right to reject such recordings / submission
of such recording for Supervision purposes.
2.5.2. All personal details are kept to a minimum.
2.5.3. Personally identifiable information is omitted / changed / abbreviated / coded,
2.5.4. National Identification Numbers (IDs) are never revealed.
3. Cancellations, Rescheduling
While we understand that you may need to cancel your session, we hope that you do so at least 24 hours in advance.
Full Fee Paying Clients
Full Fee Paying Clients are unsubsidised clients who attend therapy / counselling at
Centre for Psychotherapy.
Such clients are not part of a subsidised programme offered by Centre for Psychotherapy.
Full Fee refers to the highest fee charged by the counsellor assigned to the client at Centre For Psychotherapy.
3.1. Last minute changes / cancellations / rescheduling, within 24 hours or less,
will incur a 50% cancellation charge of the highest fee charged at Centre for
Psychotherapy by your counsellor / therapist.
3.2. Centre for Psychotherapy will do its best to provide reasonable notice of any
changes to appointments.
Subsidised Clients
Subsidised clients are clients who have come to an agreement with their counsellor / therapist on a fee lower than the highest fee charged by the counsellor / therapist attending to the client.
Such clients may be part of a subsidised programme offered by Centre for Psychotherapy.
3.3. Last minute changes / cancellations / rescheduling, within 24 hours or less,
will incur the full, subsidised fee as cancellation charge.
3.4. Centre for Psychotherapy will do its best to provide reasonable notice of any
changes to appointments.
4. Making the best use of your sessions
It is advisable to make the most out of your sessions by being actively involved in achieving your objectives. Increasing awareness, learning skills and engaging your Therapist / Counsellor are good practises which ultimately aim to empower you. If at anytime you feel that you’re uncomfortable or have concerns, it is important that you discuss them with your Counsellor / Therapist.
It is also important to understand that:
4.1. Psychotherapy / Counselling is not a replacement for Medical Care.
4.2. Psychotherapy / Counselling may surface / evoke disturbing emotions and thoughts.
4.3. Any advise given by your Therapist / Counselling is not to be taken as Medical
Advise, nor as an instruction / directive to engage in a certain behaviour, pattern,
lifestyle or in any manner not listed here. Any decision in any manner, made by the
Client, remains as the Client’s decision, and is the sole responsibility of the Client.
4.4. Any decision / adoption / adaptation in any manner provided by your Therapist does
not constitute / does not replace Medical Advise.
5. The Therapeutic Relationship / Therapeutic Alliance
Your Therapist / Counsellor and you will form a Therapeutic Alliance / Therapeutic Relationship which is governed and bound by Ethical Standards and Boundaries. It is not advisable to mix a social and Therapeutic Relationship / Therapeutic Alliance.
5.1. To maintain the Therapeutic Alliance / Therapeutic Relationship and allow us to
adhere to the Ethical Standards of our profession, we humbly request our Clients to
adhere to the following:
5.1.1. Not to send us Gifts.
6.1.2. Not to engage us in a social context. You may discuss with your Counsellor /
Therapist how you’d like to handle a situation where you might accidentally /
coincidentally meet outside of sessions, for example when you run into each other at
the same restaurant.
6.1.3. Not to ask us for favours.
6.1.4 Not to form any other relationship with your Counsellor / Therapist.
6. Questions and Concerns
If you have any questions, concerns, or do not understand any of the above points, please do not hesitate to ask us.
7. Termination of this Contract / Agreement
If you feel that you’d like to terminate / close your Counselling / Therapy Therapeutic Relationship / Therapeutic Alliance, it is important to discuss this with your Counsellor / Therapist, so that Closure can be brought about in a satisfactory manner.
7.1. Centre for Psychotherapy reserves the right to terminate this agreement at any time.
7.2. In doing so, Centre for Psychotherapy will not provide further services to the client.