Confidentiality

Counselling Approach

Erin believes that her clients have the desire and the capacity to grow towards fulfilling their true potential, and that they are the experts on their own lives. Therefore, clients will not be given advice or offered solutions, but will be supported to understand themself more fully and to find their own inner resources. With greater self-awareness and trust in themself, it is hoped that they will be able to make constructive changes, leading to a more satisfying and meaningful life.

Code of Ethics and Practice ~ Duty of Care

Erin is bound by a duty of care and code of ethics and practice, under the Australian Counselling Association.

View ACA Code of Ethics and Practice

Confidentiality

Everything you share, in the course of our work together, will be treated as highly confidential.

However, there are a few circumstances in which it may be required to break confidentiality:

If I consider you to be at risk of seriously harming yourself or someone else
If your counselling records have been requested by a court of law
If another party or agency has requested your information, and you have agreed and provided consent to this.

Mandatory Reporting

Mandatory reporting is the legal requirement for certain professional groups to report a reasonable belief of child physical or sexual abuse to child protection authorities.

Erin is legally required to report.

View Mandatory Reporting Victoria

Privacy/Record keeping

Notes are taken during and/or after each session to help keep track of progress.

These notes will be stored in a private and secure location and may be viewed by you if you so wish. Your counselling records will be kept by the service for a period of seven (7) years from the date of your last contact with the service.

Email/telephone contact

Email or telephone contact will be limited to practical arrangements only.

Erin will not enter into telephone or email counselling except by prior arrangement.

Ending counselling

Normally, the end of counselling would be by mutual prior agreement.

However, you have the right to end your counselling at any time, 48 hours notice is welcome.

If at any time it is determined that counselling is no longer appropriate for you, it will be discussed, and discontinuation or a referral to a more appropriate service, may be suggested.