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About The Guild
What Is Psychotherapy?
Protecting Your Rights
Member Directory
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Bill of Rights for Client Care
As a therapy client, you have the following rights:
- To be fully informed of your rights and responsibilities as
a psychotherapy client.
- To consideration of your confidentiality and individuality,
and to be treated with consideration, respect and full recognition of
your dignity and individuality; to be encouraged and assisted to
understand and exercise your rights as a client, free from
interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal and to expect your
therapist to be aware of your rights as a client.
- To reasonably expect, from your psychotherapist, complete
and current information concerning your condition, diagnosis,
treatment, prognosis and alternative treatment procedures in terms and
language you can understand.
- To expect reasonable continuity of care which includes
information about when and how to reach your therapist (or his/her
back-up therapist when s/he is unavailable) outside of scheduled
appointment times.
- To informed consent prior to any treatment interventions;
to be afforded the opportunity to participate in the preparation of any
treatment plans that are submitted for third party reimbursement; to
refuse to participate in statistical/research studies, and to request a
review of your client record.
- To obtain consultation or second opinions from another
qualified psychotherapist of your choosing.
- To be free from mental and physical abuse and free from
physical restraints except when necessary to protect you from injury to
yourself or others; to be free of any sexual contact; to refuse to
perform services or favors which are not included for therapeutic
purpose; and to refuse treatment interventions except in emergencies.
- To be provided referral resources if your psychotherapist
needs to discontinue therapy services with you.
- To be assured confidential treatment of your personal
records: you may approve or refuse their release to any individual
outside of your therapist, except as otherwise provided by law or third
party payment contracts. Any case discussions or consultations by your
psychotherapist will be conducted with discretion, respect, and care to
protect your confidentiality.
Source: Some of the above adapted from Hospital Bill of
Rights For Patient Care.
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