Policies and Procedures

Any information about the client or sessions is held with utmost confidentially. Limitations to confidentiality include: communication of a threat (in the case of imminent danger for yourself or for people you know), court order, complying with the law, or continued treatment. Anything else would only be released with written and signed consent by the client or client's guardian. In addition, to best meet client needs and to continue to grow in this professional, clinical counsellors consult and train with colleagues who are bound by the same limits to confidentiality and rules. Should it be needed, the clinical counsellor may share information about the client, art work, and clinical file, however identifying details are removed or changed to the extent possible. Please note that if the client or guardian chooses to contact the counsellor via the internet, text or shares personal information through online forms, the counsellor is unable to guarantee complete confidentiality. Please keep this in mind when communicating with the clinical counsellor outside of session. Collection and Storage of Personal Information The Counsellor will maintain records of our counselling session in compliance with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC), Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and British Columbia Art Therapy Association (BCATA) guidelines. Should the client engage in Online Counselling, the client understands that the Counsellor will attempt to maintain the highest degree of confidentiality possible, however, since the session will be conducted over video calling or phone call, this cannot be guaranteed. The same applies if Counsellor engages in Online consultations or trainings. Clients are encouraged to close other programs on their computer while in a video session, plan ahead to minimize distractions, and not answer calls or text messages while on the call. We also encourage clients to use a quiet room alone with the door closed. Headphones may be used to increase privacy of session. Regardless of the Client’s location, the client understands that the Counsellor is domiciled in Canada and that the counselling service provided falls under the laws and jurisdiction of Canada.

Counselling is the skilled and principled use of a client-therapist relationship to facilitate self-knowledge, emotional acceptance and growth and the optimal development of personal resources. The overall aim of counsellors is to provide an opportunity for people to work towards living more satisfyingly and resourcefully. Counselling addresses wellness, relationships, personal growth, mental health and any psychological issues. Person-Centred and Humanistic Approach combines the use of non-authoritative and positive approaches, which focuses on a person’s individual nature and allows the clients to take more of a lead in therapy so that, in the process, they will discover their own solutions and use their personal instincts to find wisdom, growth, healing, and fulfillment within themselves. Art Therapy is another form of communication in counselling. The Art Therapist offers a safe and non-judgemental space for clients to express themselves and work through difficult emotions using creativity and wide variety of art-making. Art Therapy aims to resolve internal conflicts or issues of lived experience. It also aims to help in developing strategic and healthy ways of copying with difficult situations. Art Therapy and/or Counselling has many benefits that help improve an individual’s psychological health and emotional well-being. These include: - Providing a safe space to process difficult feelings, life transitions, and daily struggles. - Offering individuals a visual means of expression when thoughts cannot be verbally articulated - Developing healthy coping strategies and internal resources - Facilitating healthy boundaries - Providing an external outlet to process traumatic experiences while releasing tension. Risks of Art Therapy and/or counselling can include evoking strong emotions or difficult memories, when you’re addressing some core issues it can be painful and distressing, changes in self-awareness, and different ways of relating to others.

Clients working with a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors also have the right to: - To withdraw consent from therapy at any time. Please provide this withdrawal in writing wherever possible. Please understand that revoking consent is not valid to the extent that parties have acted in reliance on such authorization. - The right to refuse any particular counselling interventions. A client's clinical counsellor may have ideas about interventions or directives that can be used to help but will always trust the client's knowing and intuition. - The right to then file a written complaint against your Registered Clinical Counsellor with the BCACC if you have a concern and are not satisfied that your Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) has addressed that concern. The client's experience of therapy is important to us. We encourage all clients to provide feedback if they are choosing to invoke their rights.

If a client arrives late for their session, they will be charged for the full session. If the client is unable to attend a session, it is the client’s or guardian's responsibility to inform the counsellor 24 hours in advance so that the counsellor can make that time available to others. A cancellation fee up to the amount due for the session may be charged in case of a no show or late cancellation and the client consents to be billed for the same.