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Finding out about your rights
I
believe you have every right to expect a number of things from psychotherapy with me.
1. Confidentiality
Firstly, you can expect that what is said between us remains confidential. I will not disclosure anything that you say to other people without your permission. Even then, I don't disclose even the smallest detail that will allow you to be identified.
2. Being treated with respect
Secondly, you can expect to be treated with respect.I strongly believe that a professional psychotherapist will not
deliberately say things that will cause you to feel shame or guilt
about the things you have thought or felt or done. On the contrary, a
lot of my work is to help my clients lift the
heavy burden of guilt or shame from the past, not to add to it.
3. Being properly understood
Thirdly, you can expect that I will work hard to understand you and your life. It is only through taking the time to listen and
understand, to appreciate what you are going through and what you are
feeling that I earn the privilege of being able to
help you.
4. Commitment
Fourthly, I believe that if I take you on as a client. I also take on a commitment
to you that extends beyond our face-to-face sessions.
I make myself available for you for our
agreed sessions, but I also understand that you will, from
time to time, come to my mind between sessions. This is a normal part of
the day for me and is not an intrusion; it is part of
the process.
5. Being in control
Lastly,
it is important to understand that you are in control of what happens in the sessions; I will not rail-road you into
exploring things that you are unwilling to look at. If you force yourself, you start to feel unsafe with
me, and this leads to a reduction in the good work
that we can do. Much better progress can be made when we focus on what the
client wants and needs to talk about.
Supervision
As a private practitioner, my work is closely supervised by a highly experienced psychotherapist. The supervisor will generally not know enough about the client for their identity to be exposed. |
