Guardian Angel Counseling & Consulting LLC
General policies & confidentiality
COUNSELING is a confidential process designed to help you address your concerns, come to a greater understanding of yourself, and learn effective personal and interpersonal coping strategies. It involves a relationship between you and a trained therapist who has the desire and willingness to help you accomplish your individual goals. Counseling involves sharing sensitive, personal, and private information that may at times be distressing. During the course of counseling, there may be periods of increased anxiety or confusion. The outcome of counseling is often positive; however, the level of satisfaction for any individual is not predictable. Your therapist is available to support you throughout the counseling process.
CONFIDENTIALITY:
All interactions with Guardian Angel Counseling & Consulting LLC, including scheduling of or attendance at appointments, content of your sessions, progress in counseling, and your records are confidential. You may request in writing that the counselor release specific information about your counseling to persons you designate.
EXCEPTIONS TO CONFIDENTIALITY:
• The counseling staff works as a team. Your therapist may consult with other counseling staff to provide
the best possible care. These consultations are for professional.
• If there is evidence of clear and imminent danger of harm to self and/or others, a therapist is legally required to report this information to the authorities responsible for ensuring safety.
• Wisconsin state law requires that staff of Guardian Angel Counseling & Consulting LLC, who learn of, or strongly suspect, physical or sexual abuse or neglect of any person under 18 years of age must report this information to county child protection services.
• A court order, issued by a judge, may require Guardian Angel Counseling & Consulting LLC to release information contained in records and/or require a therapist to testify in a court hearing.
We appreciate prompt arrival for appointments. Please notify us at 608-800-1650 if you will be late. Twenty-four hour notice of cancellation allows us to use the time for others.
Fees will be charged at some point during your visit before or after your session.
All interactions with Guardian Angel Counseling & Consulting LLC, including scheduling of or attendance at appointments, content of your sessions, progress in counseling, and your records are confidential. You may request in writing that the counselor release specific information about your counseling to persons you designate.
EXCEPTIONS TO CONFIDENTIALITY:
• The counseling staff works as a team. Your therapist may consult with other counseling staff to provide
the best possible care. These consultations are for professional.
• If there is evidence of clear and imminent danger of harm to self and/or others, a therapist is legally required to report this information to the authorities responsible for ensuring safety.
• Wisconsin state law requires that staff of Guardian Angel Counseling & Consulting LLC, who learn of, or strongly suspect, physical or sexual abuse or neglect of any person under 18 years of age must report this information to county child protection services.
• A court order, issued by a judge, may require Guardian Angel Counseling & Consulting LLC to release information contained in records and/or require a therapist to testify in a court hearing.
We appreciate prompt arrival for appointments. Please notify us at 608-800-1650 if you will be late. Twenty-four hour notice of cancellation allows us to use the time for others.
Fees will be charged at some point during your visit before or after your session.
Electronic communication policies
Electronic communication and tools have become a fact of modern life. It is important to your confidentiality and privacy to understand how and when your therapist may use or be prohibited from using electronic communication and tools in conjunction with your care.
Email & text messaging
I cannot ensure the confidentiality of any form of communication through email and text messages. You can leave messages for me using my secure client portal which will ensure confidentiality. If you prefer to communicate via email for issues regarding scheduling or cancellations, please speak to me about your preference. While I will return messages in a timely manner, I cannot guarantee immediate response and request that you do not use email or text to discuss therapeutic content and/or request assistance for emergencies.
Social networking sites
Due to the importance of your confidentiality and the importance of minimizing dual relationships, I do not accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any social networking site (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc). Both the American Counseling Association and the American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy have specific guidelines in their ethical codes regarding social media and clients; adding clients as friends or contacts on these sites can compromise your confidentiality and our respective privacy. It may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship. If you have questions about this, please bring them up when we meet and we can talk more about it.
You are welcome to like my business Facebook Page in order to stay informed about upcoming events.
You are welcome to like my business Facebook Page in order to stay informed about upcoming events.
Consumer review sites
Counselors do not solicit or request testimonials or consumer reviews. We do not claim pages on such sites as Yelp or Healthgrades. Leaving a review compromises your confidentiality. Please refrain from leaving consumer reviews online. If you have concerns or complaints about the services you have received, please speak to me directly.
Cell phone location services
Many people use location-based services on their smartphone or tablets to enable friends and acquaintances to follow their itinerary via their mobile phones. Please be aware that use of location-based service on your smart phone may inform friends and acquaintances that you are visiting a therapist, thus compromising your privacy and confidentiality.
Use of search engines
I will not conduct electronic searches about clients unless there is a genuine emergency where information obtained electronically might protect a client from harm.