All of our work together—our conversations, your records, and any information that you give us—is protected by something called privilege.  That means that the law protects you from having information about you given to anyone without your awareness and permission.  Our office respects your privacy and we intend to honor your privilege.  However, there are some limits to your legal privilege, some exceptions you should understand before we start.

• If we believe there is a risk that you might harm yourself or someone else, we may be required to contact the authorities to give them the opportunity to protect you or the other person;

• If you are abusing children, elderly people, or vulnerable adults, we are required by law to notify the authorities so they can protect others from harm;

• Also, if you become involved in a lawsuit in which your mental health is at issue, the court or lawyers may insist upon and may obtain information from us.  Similarly, you would lose the protection of your privilege if you file a complaint against our office with the state licensing board.

The financial part of our relationship also imposes some confidentiality limits.  If you are using insurance or another third-party payer, our office must share certain information with them, including (but not necessarily limited to) your diagnosis and the times of your visits.  If there is a managed care company, they may require us to provide additional information such as your symptoms and progress.  You should also understand that insurance and managed care information is often stored in national computer databases.  If you choose to self-pay rather than using your insurance for treatment, our work together is kept totally confidential and private.