Welcome to Priyam Sharma Therapy. This document contains important information about my professional services and business policies. Please read it carefully. When you use my therapy or counselling services, you understand and agree to this document. It will represent an agreement between us. It will also give you an idea of how therapy works.

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THERAPY AND COUNSELLING SERVICES
The services marketed on this website are strictly aimed at adults over the age of 18. If you are a minor, please exit the website immediately.

 

Therapy and counselling services vary depending on the personalities of the therapist and the client, as well as the particular problems you – the client – bring forward. Various methods and techniques may be used to deal with the problems that you hope to address. It is important to note that therapy or counselling, unlike a medical doctor or dentist visit, requires a very active effort on your part, and that includes being consistent with sessions. For therapy and counselling to be successful, you will have to work on things we talk about, both during sessions and afterwards.
Therapy and counselling can have benefits and risks. Since therapy and counselling often involve discussing unpleasant aspects of your life, you may experience uncomfortable feelings like sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, loneliness, and helplessness. On the other hand, psychotherapy has also been shown to have benefits for people who go through it. Therapy often leads to better relationships, solutions to specific problems, and significant reductions in feelings of distress. However like any professional service, therapy may not always help you in the way you’d expect, and certain aspects might not work for you. You are encouraged to communicate this with me if you feel so. Due to the subjective nature of therapy and counselling, and the individual factors that play a major role in them, there are no guarantees of what you will experience.
Our first few sessions will involve an exploration of your needs, our professional fit with each other, what has brought you to therapy (the “presenting issue”), and circumstances in your life that are perpetuating your struggle (“maintaining factors”). By the end of the it, I will be able to offer you some first impressions of what our work will include and the recommended frequency of sessions to follow if you decide to continue with therapy. You should evaluate this information along with your own opinions of whether you feel comfortable working with me. Therapy involves a large commitment of time, money, and energy, so you should be mindful and sure that you’re emotionally ready to undertake it. If you have questions about the procedure, you can discuss them with me.

SESSIONS
An evaluation is conducted in the first 2 to 4 sessions. If therapy is begun, we usually schedule one 60-minute session per week at a time previously agreed upon, although some sessions may be more frequent, depending on the service offering you choose and depending on therapist availability. Appointments are only confirmed after confirmation of payment. I do not book sessions or confirm appointments on credit. Sessions can be booked maximum 2 weeks in advance and minimum 24 hours before the start of the session. For cancellation or rescheduling, find out more on the RRC Policy.

BILLING AND PAYMENTS
You will be expected to pay in full for each session before it takes place. You are expected to keep track of your payments for sessions and no payment reminders will be sent. A previously pending payments due to technical errors will also have to be cleared before booking the next sessions, and it is the client's responsibility. Unfortunately, the sessions are only booked post payment - but I understand that this may feel challenging especially if someone doesn't have the necessary resources. I am willing to discuss any concerns that may arise in following the system. Sliding scale or reduced fees or pro bono sessions are not provided. For payments made in currencies other than the Indian Rupee, additional charges or fees may apply. For Refunds, Rescheduling and Cancellations, view the RRC policy here. Any refunds will be after deducting relevant transaction fees and charges, as applicable.

PROFESSIONAL RECORDS
In line with global and Indian standards of care and professionalism, as well as the Mental Healthcare Act 2017, I keep treatment records of clients including the intake form, and any notes I might make before, during, or after sessions. You may submit a written request and consent to receive a summary of your records. Because these are professional records, they can be misinterpreted and/or be upsetting to untrained readers. If you wish to see your records, it is recommended to do so in my presence.

CONFIDENTIALITY
In general, the privacy of all communications between a patient and a healthcare provider is protected by law, and information about our work to others may only be released with your written permission. But there are a few exceptions. For example, in some legal proceedings – such as those involving child custody, or those in which your emotional condition is an important issue, a judge may order a therapist’s testimony if he/she determines that the issues demand it. In such a case, Priyam Sharma Therapy will be forced to comply with such legal requests.
There are some situations in which I am legally obligated to take action to protect others from harm, even if some information about a patient’s treatment has to be revealed in the process of doing so. For example, if I believe that a child, elderly person, or disabled person is being abused, I may file a report with the appropriate state agency. If I believe that a client or patient is threatening serious bodily harm to another or themselves, I am required to notify legal authorities. These actions may include notifying the potential victim, contacting the police, or seeking hospitalization for the patient.
I may occasionally find it helpful to consult with other health and mental health professionals about a case, and I also work under the clinical supervision of a RCI registered Clinical Psychologist. During a consultation, I make every effort to refrain from revealing the identity of my client. The other professionals are also legally bound to keep the information confidential. All mental health professionals are bound by the same rules of confidentiality. If I discuss your case, I will use your initials only and there will be no other identifying information. 
Finally, it is important to remember that therapy is not a quick-fix solution. I, at Priyam Sharma Therapy, will try my best to provide you with tools (advice, techniques, suggestions) to enable you to solve the problems that you are facing. I cannot, however, guarantee that the problems that you come to me with will be solved. The onus for that lies on you. Please discuss it with me, if you feel that the treatment plan is not working for you even after 2-3 months of therapy. It is also important to note that I am a trained counsellor/psychotherapist/counselling psychologist. I am not a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist or surgeon. While a psychologist is a trained health care professional, they do not have formal training in pharmacology and so I cannot prescribe medication. If you receive any advice or suggestions for any supplements from me, please discuss them with a licensed medical doctor (and obtain a prescription for the same from them, if necessary) before using them.

While the above written summary of exceptions to confidentiality should prove helpful in informing you about potential problems, it is important that we discuss any questions or concerns that you may have. The laws governing these issues are quite complex and I am not a lawyer. While I am happy to discuss these issues with you, should you want specific advice, formal legal consultation may be desirable. 

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BOUNDARIES
It is important to make sure that you and I maintain certain boundaries to ensure there is no bias that decreases the efficacy of your therapy. I prefer not to follow back or connect with clients on any social media platforms outside of sessions, apart from communicating regarding technical and scheduling logistics. If you feel there is an urgent query, you may contact me via my official e-mail ID at contact@priyamsharmatherapy.com or through WhatsApp at +917727834300, and remember that I reply to the email at my discretion, and my decision may very well be influenced by my caseload and other factors. It is also extremely important to honour the time boundaries of the session, and that involves starting and concluding the session at the predetermined time. Clients are encouraged to be mindful of the time during the session on their end, in order to make the most productive and constructive use of our limited time together. Same day sessions are not provided. 
A strictly professional relationship must be maintained, and any outside communication may act as grounds for refusal of service. 

 

Priyam Sharma Therapy is not a crisis service. If you need immediate medical help or are in an emergency, contact your local emergency services. Emergency medical service numbers include: 112, 108 and 102 (IND), 112 and 999 (UK), 112 (EU), 911 (US), 112 and 911 (CA), 000 (AUS). 

 

Your use of my services indicates that you have read the information in this document and agree to abide by its terms during our professional relationship. It also means that the information you have provided to me (including emergency contacts) is accurate to the best of your knowledge and that you have read and understood the Return, Refund and Cancellation Policy, Terms and Conditions, and Privacy Policy mentioned on the priyamsharmatherapy.com website.