What do I need to share?

A number of questions will be asked to try to gather information to make a plan for therapy. At no stage must you tell your psychologist something you don’t want to or are not ready to. You can always tell your psychologist you would like to skip that question or not talk about a particular subject.

However, it is important to note that holding back can lead to longer lasting therapy because the plan you make with your therapist in the beginning may be missing valuable detail.

Consent and confidentiality

All personal information gathered by the psychologist during the provision of the psychological service is for the purpose of providing you with the best possible treatment.

No information collected or discussed will be disclosed except when:

•
It is subpoenaed by a court; or
•
Failure to disclose the information would, in the reasonable belief of the psychologist, place you or another person at serious risk to life, health or safety; or
•
Your prior approval has been obtained to:
•
Provide a written report to another professional or agency (e.g. a GP or a lawyer); or
•
Discuss the material with another person (e.g. a parent, employer or health provider); or
•
Disclose the information in another way.
•
You would reasonably expect your personal information to be disclosed to another professional or agency (e.g. your GP) and disclosure of your personal information to that third party is for a purpose which is directly related to the primary purpose for which your personal information was collected; or
•
Disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law.

Charter for clients

All psychologists are legally required to be registered in Australia, which means your psychologist is registered with the Psychology Board of Australia.

Your psychologist is also a member of the Australian Psychological Society, the largest professional organisation for psychologists in Australia.

These safeguards mean that your psychologist is properly trained and ensures that you receive high quality, ethical service.

As a client of an APS psychologist, you have a right to expect that:
•
You will be treated with respect at all times
•
Your cultural background and language tradition will be respected
•
You will be given a clear explanation of the services you will receive
•
You will be asked to give your consent for any service provided by your psychologist prior to the service commencing and as it progresses
•
You will receive an explanation about the confidentiality of the service and the exceptional situations where your confidentiality may not be protected
•
You will receive a clear statement about fees for your psychologist’s services
•
There will be a discussion about the estimated number of sessions required to achieve your goals
•
You will receive skilled and professional services from your psychologist
•
There will be clear goals that you and your psychologist are working toward
•
You can ask any questions about the service you are receiving.

Note:

If you have any concerns about the above matters, discuss them with your psychologist. If you have concerns about the conduct of your psychologist, you may call either the Psychology Board of Australia on 1300 419 495, or the Australian Psychological Society on (03) 8662 3300.

See the Charter for clients of APS psychologists for up-to-date information.