Informed Consent

The type and extent of services that I or my child will receive will be determined following an initial assessment and thorough discussion with me and/or my child.  The goal of the assessment process is to determine the best course of treatment for me and/or my child.  Typically, treatment is provided over the course of several sessions.

I understand that all information shared with my therapist is confidential and no information will be released without my consent. 

I further understand that there are specific and limited exceptions to this confidentiality which include the following:

  1. When there is risk of imminent danger to myself, my child or to another person, the therapist is ethically bound to take necessary steps to prevent such danger.
  2. When there is suspicion that a child or elder is being neglected or abused or is at risk of such abuse, the therapist is legally required to take steps to protect the child or elder, and to inform the proper authorities.
  3. When a valid court order is issued for counselling records, the therapist is bound by law to comply with such requests.

I understand that I may request to review my file, including case notes and reports at any time.

I further understand that counselling fees are as follows:

  • Individual: 50 minutes $150 (including GST)

I understand that Kristy Abel to Help Counselling accepts the following as appropriate forms of payment for services: e-transfers or Paypal to kristyabeltohelp@gmail.com, prior to scheduled appointment. 

I further understand that appointments that are cancelled with less than 48 hours of notice will be charged a flat fee of $150. This is to be fair to other individuals and families wanting to book appointments and due to the fact that I have an extremely limited number of available appointments each week.

BENEFITS: Counselling can be helpful in a variety of ways. Though this is not a comprehensive list, the following are some primary benefits:

  • Gaining insight on difficulties in your life, both past and present
  • Collaborative goal setting to promote positive change
  • Increased self-awareness, self-esteem, self-worth and self-confidence
  • Improved coping skills and life skills

RISKS:: While there can be many benefits to counselling, change is not guaranteed and it is helpful to remember that you may experience:

  • A resurfacing of painful, upsetting or traumatic memories and/or events
  • Feeling strong emotions inside and outside of sessions
  • Change in relationship(s), as growth occurs

YOUR RIGHTS: 

Counselling is voluntary; you can withdraw your consent at any time. Also, you have the right to refuse to participate in a therapeutic method, even if I recommend it. At times I may make suggestions about other community-based resources. It is your choice if you want to access these. 

PRIVACY: 

All information shared with the counsellor is private and confidential (see Limits of Confidentiality form). Your information will not be released to others without your signed permission. Please note that any communication through email or text is not secure and privacy cannot be guaranteed. As per the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), I keep written records that include your contact information, the reason you are seeking counselling and brief notes on our sessions. You have the right to request to view these notes and to have a copy.

When you consent to counselling, you are saying you understand the following statements, and that you agree to participate.

  1.  I understand that as I work towards positive change in counselling, I may experience a wide range of emotions and changes in my relationships that can be both rewarding and stressful. 
  2. I may ask questions, express concerns, and/or meet with my counsellor if I have concerns regarding services provided.

LATE ARRIVAL: If you arrive late for a scheduled appointment, only the remainder of the session will be available. If I run late with a prior appointment, you will still receive the full session.

Communication via text messaging is okay BUT must be limited to brief messages that might be regarding: stuck in traffic, picking up an extra session, very brief updates of events. PLEASE NOTE: that messages will only be responded to during regular business hours. 

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Unfortunately, I am not able to accept or follow clients on various social media platforms. Feel free to like: Kristy Abel to Help on Facebook or follow me on Instagram, Tik Tok and/or Youtube.