Practice Policies

Please discuss any questions or concerns regarding the following policies with Kindle Counseling.

IN AN EMERGENCY, CALL 911.

APPOINTMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS

Please remember to cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours in advance. You will be responsible for the entire fee if cancellation is less than 24 hours. This is necessary because a time commitment is made to you and is held exclusively for you. If you are late for a session, you will lose some of that session time. Psychotherapy sessions have standard meeting lengths. It is up to you, however, to discuss with Kindle Counseling any desired changes in the length of time of your sessions. Requests to change the standard session length needs to be discussed with the therapist to initiate any appointment length changes in order for adjusted session time and any fee adjustments to be scheduled in advance.

A $25.00 service charge will be charged for any checks returned for any reason for special handling.

INSURANCE

Kindle Counseling does not accept insurance for many reasons; however, a “superbill” can be given to a client upon request. Clients may submit a superbill to their insurance company and request partial reimbursement; however, Kindle Counseling does not communicate with insurance companies and makes no claim that any insurance company will reimburse and client.  It is up to clients to communicate with their insurance companies about their insurance plans and any possible insurance reimbursement.  Kindle Counseling’s private-pay rates reflect the therapist’s extensive education, training, licensure, certification, and experience as well as the dedicated time commitment, during and outside of appointments, allotted for clients. Outside of client appointment time, Kindle Counseling therapists plan and prepare for each appointment as well as maintain the required secure documentation and treatment plan for each client. These rates are set to ensure that high-quality services, which meet the unique needs of every individual, are provided.

CONFIDENTIALITY

In general, discussions between a therapist and a client are confidential. No information will be released without the client's written permission unless mandated or permitted by law. Possible exceptions to confidentiality include but are not limited to the following situations: abuse or sexual exploitation; court orders or subpoenas; situations where the therapist has a duty to disclose or where, in the therapist's judgment, it is necessary to warn, protect, notify or disclose; related to payment or authorization for health services; to employees or agents of Kindle Counseling, PLLC for operational purposes; to regulatory authorities in connection with compliance responsibilities; for treatment consultations with other mental health professionals when deemed necessary; to your primary care provider or other mental health provider for the purposes of continuity of care; and for fee disputes, licensing board complaints, or lawsuits between the client and the therapist. “Notice of Privacy Practices”, which explains confidentiality policies further, will be provided to clients.

TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY

If you need to contact me between sessions, please leave a message on my voice mail or contact me through your Kindle Counseling client portal. I am often not immediately available; however, I will attempt to return your call within 24 normal business hours. Please note that face-to-face or Telehealth sessions are highly preferable to phone sessions; However, in the event that you are out of town, sick or need additional support, phone sessions are available. If a true emergency situation arises, please call 911.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND TELECOMMUNICATION

Due to the importance of client confidentiality and the importance of minimizing dual relationships, I do not intentionally accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any **social networking site (**Facebook, LinkedIn, etc). I believe that 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.

Please Note: Kindle Counseling’s social media pages are public and viewable to others and provide information and news about Kindle Counseling. If you choose to visit, “like”, and/or comment on any Kindle Counseling social media page, your identity, as you have arranged with social media, will be visible to others. Your choice to visit, like, and/or follow Kindle Counseling social media pages is independent of your care at Kindle Counseling and is outside of Kindle Counseling’s privacy policies and protections.

TREATMENT PLAN

Kindle Counseling therapists will discuss the goals, purposes and techniques of therapy with clients. Clients should communicate any questions or concerns regarding their treatment plan with their therapist

AUDIO or VIDEO RECORDINGS

Neither a client nor a therapist will record (audio or video) any sessions without the prior mutual written consent of the therapist and client.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

I cannot ensure the confidentiality of any form of communication through electronic media, including text messages. If you prefer to communicate via email or text messaging for issues regarding scheduling or cancellations, I will do so. While I may try to return messages in a timely manner, I cannot guarantee immediate response and request that you do not use these methods of communication to discuss therapeutic content and/or request assistance for emergencies.

Services by electronic means, including but not limited to telephone communication, the Internet, facsimile machines, text and e-mail is considered telemedicine by the State of California. Under the California Telemedicine Act of 1996, telemedicine is broadly defined as the use of information technology to deliver medical services and information from one location to another. If you and your therapist chose to use information technology for some or all of your treatment, you need to understand that: (1) You retain the option to withhold or withdraw consent at any time without affecting the right to future care or treatment or risking the loss or withdrawal of any program benefits to which you would otherwise be entitled. (2) All existing confidentiality protections are equally applicable. (3) Your access to all medical information transmitted during a telemedicine consultation is guaranteed, and copies of this information are available for a reasonable fee. (4) Dissemination of any of your identifiable images or information from the telemedicine interaction to researchers or other entities shall not occur without your consent. (5) There are potential risks, consequences, and benefits of telemedicine. Potential benefits include, but are not limited to improved communication capabilities, providing convenient access to up-to-date information, consultations, support, reduced costs, improved quality, change in the conditions of practice, improved access to therapy, better continuity of care, and reduction of lost work time and travel costs. Effective therapy is often facilitated when the therapist gathers within a session or a series of sessions, a multitude of observations, information, and experiences about the client. Therapists may make clinical assessments, diagnosis, and interventions based not only on direct verbal or auditory communications, written reports, and third person consultations, but also from direct visual and olfactory observations, information, and experiences. When using information technology in therapy services, potential risks include, but are not limited to the therapist's inability to make visual and olfactory observations of clinically or therapeutically potentially relevant issues such as: your physical condition including deformities, apparent height and weight, body type, attractiveness relative to social and cultural norms or standards, gait and motor coordination, posture, work speed, any noteworthy mannerism or gestures, physical or medical conditions including bruises or injuries, basic grooming and hygiene including appropriateness of dress, eye contact (including any changes in the previously listed issues), sex, chronological and apparent age, ethnicity, facial and body language, and congruence of language and facial or bodily expression. Potential consequences thus include the therapist not being aware of what he or she would consider important information, that you may not recognize as significant to present verbally the therapist.

MINORS

If you are a minor, your parents may be legally entitled to some information about your therapy. I will discuss with you and your parents what information is appropriate for them to receive and which issues are more appropriately kept confidential.

TERMINATION

Ending relationships can be difficult. Therefore, it is important to have a termination process in order to achieve some closure. The appropriate length of the termination depends on the length and intensity of the treatment. I may terminate treatment after appropriate discussion with you and a termination process if I determine that the psychotherapy is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment. If therapy is terminated for any reason or you request another therapist, I will provide you with a list of psychotherapists upon request. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source.

Should you fail to schedule an appointment for three consecutive weeks, unless other arrangements have been made in advance, for legal and ethical reasons, I must consider the professional relationship discontinued.

COURT RELATED SERVICES

kindle Counseling, PLLC does not provide or perform evaluations for custody, visitation or other forensic matters. Therefore, it is understood and agreed that Kindle Counseling cannot and will not provide any testimony or reports regarding issues of custody, visitation or fitness of a parent in any legal matters or administrative proceedings. Kindle Counseling, PLLC is not an authorized organization to work with probation, pre-trial services, or CYFD. If Kindle Counseling is contacted by an attorney regarding your treatment (either at your behest or related to a legal matter you are involved in) you agree to and acknowledge the following:

  • Kindle Counseling charges a retainer prior to any preparation or attendance of legal proceedings.

  • Kindle Counseling charges to prepare for and/or attend any legal proceeding and for all court related services.

  • Charges for court related services are not covered by insurance.

  • Court related services include: talking with attorneys, preparing documents, traveling to court, depositions and court appearances.

  • If the court or attorneys do not pay our fee, you will be charged for the time your therapist spends responding to legal matters

  • You will also be charged for any costs Kindle Counseling incurs responding to attorneys in your case, including but not limited to fees Kindle Counseling pays for legal consultation and representation by attorneys.

MARITAL or JOINT THERAPY

Kindle Counseling maintains a single case file for each couple in marital and joint sessions. Kindle Counseling will release all information contained in the file related to marital or joint sessions upon request by a participant. This will be completed in the same manner as when information is released to an individual client.