Confidentiality Policy

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Shine Counselling is committed to providing you with the highest level of Professional Counselling Services. This includes protecting your privacy and adhering to ACA’s Code of Ethics and Practice.

As part of providing counselling services to you, I will collect and record personal information as a necessary part of assessment and treatment. All information you share with me and records are kept strictly confidential and will not be revealed to anyone without your written and signed consent. The only exceptions to this rule are if;

• There is concern that you may harm yourself or others

• There is a child or young person who is in significant risk of harm

• You have participated in a crime

• I receive a court order or subpoena; I may be required to release information. In such cases, I will limit the release to only what is necessary by law.

Please note that all records and information that is gathered as part of your assessment, diagnosis and treatment is held in a secure, locked filing cabinet and password and fingerprint protected technological devices that only I have access to.

There are limitations to the full extent that emails and electronic mediums can be completely confidential and clients are advised to be aware of this when using these means of communication. 

In compliance to best practice principles and in adherence to the Australian Counselling Association’s code of ethics, I attend regular supervision where I may present your case. If this occurs, your identity and personal details will be protected at all times.

If you and I determine that it would be helpful for me to share information about your counselling with someone else (eg. Your doctor) then I will ask you to sign a form that gives me permission to release and/or request information.

Keeping in mind privacy and the confidential nature of counselling, I will not approach or acknowledge you in the community unless you initiate contact. This is not meant to be rude, but rather to protect your privacy.