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PLEASE NOTE: I retired in September and am no longer seeing clients.

 a fence on a beach representing privacy

Your Privacy at Inner Actions.

I really do value your privacy. Confidentiality and privacy are the cornerstones of psychology and psychotherapy. Without these there can be no trust and without sufficient trust nothing therapeutic can progress. All information you provide as a client of Inner Actions is strictly confidential and will not be used for any purpose other than your care.

You can download a copy of my full Inner Actions Privacy Policy.

Brief Overview

In the interests of providing you with the best possible care and assistance, I will need to collect, record and maintain personal and health information. I only collect information necessary for the delivery of my services.

My records are securely stored in a computer based client management system or some older information on hand written or paper health records. My premises are protected by electronic security access and alarms out of office hours. Paper records are maintained in locked cabinets.

The Health Records (Privacy & Access) Act 1997 requires me to maintain records for a minimum of 7 years (or if under 18 until you are 25 years of age) after the service is suspended. This maintains records in case of re-engaging my services or if you require copies of your records for any purpose.

Both the above Act and the Privacy Act (1988) give you rights to request access to your records. To exercise this right, please arrange a mutually convenient time with me.

Disclosure of information to a third party outside of Inner Actions will only occur with your written request and approval. However see also the limits to confidentiality below.

Limits to Confidentiality

All confidentiality has limits. Courts may in certain circumstances subpoena therapists and/or their notes and confidentiality and privacy is subject to compliance with court directions.

If I have cause to be seriously concerned for the safety of you or anyone else then I have an ethical, professional and legal obligation to consider informing the appropriate agency.

Professional Peer Consultation

Professional peer consultation (sometimes referred to as “supervision”) is a process put in place to ensure that therapists provide you with the best quality care and remain accountable for the work they undertake. To this end I engage an experienced therapist to review my work with clients. This process involves discussing with the colleague non-identifying details about the work I am undertaking. This ensures that a third person is aware of what I am doing and can offer suggestions for alternative ways of approaching particular issues. The colleague is bound by the same ethical and confidentiality rules as myself.