Contacting, sessions, booking appointments and information sharing
Contacting, appointment bookings and non-therapeutic communication are done via email, telephone or text message (excluding instant messaging). All therapeutic communication should be shared in session (face-to-face/video call/voice call) to support your confidentiality. Should non-emergency therapeutic information need to be shared out-of-session this will be discussed with you. For emergencies, please see Guidelines for Emergency Contact below. Kindly note we do not use any form of instant messaging for communication.
Any information shared before, during or after the therapy session cannot be shared for the duration of therapy and after therapy has ended.
It is not permissible to publicise or share any content of our exchanges, therapy, consultations or related content prior, during or after the completion of sessions or therapy. Sessions cannot be recorded.
It is recommended that bookings are made at least 48 hours in advance to avoid disappointment, however we will endeavour to provide you with the soonest appointments available.
Referral letters where required may be charged at an additional fee. Additional services (such as report writing, call-out services or assessments) are charged at additional fees.
Opening hours: Please visit our Contact Page at www.peaceofmindpsychology.co.nz
Sessions are approximately 50 minutes (this may vary according to the requirements of each session). Additional time required after the first 60 minutes of a session is charged in 15 minute increments, or part thereof.
In order for therapy to be meaningful, valuable and beneficial it requires you to engage in therapy regularly and consistently. Engagement includes a commitment to actively participate in the therapeutic process and/or with the therapeutic material/content/additional requirements (such as homework/assignments/journaling/assessments etc.) within the therapy setting and outside of therapy throughout the course of the therapeutic process. You are welcome to bring water or a cup of tea or coffee with you to the session. Alcohol and drugs prior to and during the session is not permissible and please do not smoke or vape during the session. It is preferable that children or pets are not present during the session as this could be distracting for either or both of us. Kindly put your phone on silent or turn it off.
Online Therapy
Online therapy is a way for you to engage in therapy using internet technology such as an online platform.
Kindly ensure that you are seated in a comfortable and confidential space (headphones or earphones are recommended). We ask that you keep 15-20 minutes after your session to accommodate for any technical delays &/or to have some time to reflect. Kindly refrain from booking online sessions back-to-back with other online meetings/appointments.
We are working with technology and may experience difficulties connecting (this is less likely if you have a strong internet connection and good device). Should we experience break-downs or lags in communication, we recommend you pause (no longer than 3 minutes) allowing for reconnection (use this time to also pause, collect your thoughts about where you are at currently and think about what you would like to express). In the event of technological issues preventing us from meeting online or a complete break-down in communication longer than 3 minutes it is recommended to try to reconnect three times. Should this fail we would then communicate via mobile video calling or voice calling (your preferred option selected above) and the option of rescheduling or continuing the session will then be offered. Please note time lost due to technological issues is given an additional 10-15 minutes accordingly with no charge.
We advise that your internet speed is higher than 15 Mbps. You can check your internet speed on Internet Speed Test . If your internet speed is below 15 Mbps your participation via camera and microphone will be limited and may effect the quality of your online session.
We recommend accessing your session via Chrome. Please ensure you have the latest version of Chrome downloaded. We also recommend you check that you have the latest version of the online platform (Zoom, Doxy.me, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet) used in your online session. These checks will assist you to have a better online experience for your session. Closing other applications and browser windows on your device will also assist your sessions to run smoothly.
For additional information on Online Therapy visit our Website Peace of Mind Psychology – Online Therapy and our Blog Page on Peace of Mind Psychology – Blog.
Additional information can be found at the NZPB Website New Zealand Psychologist Board
Supervision and training
On-going training and supervision occurs in the best interest of the client and to ensure that the psychologist continues professional development and upholds the requirements by the New Zealand Psychologists Board (NZPB). All information discussed in supervision is confidential and no identifying information is released.
Ending of Therapy
Therapy will end after an agreed upon number of sessions and if additional sessions are not required as discussed and/or agreed upon between the client and psychologist.
Should therapy end prior to this it is the responsibility of both, the client and psychologist to inform the other party about the termination of therapy. Therapy can be terminated if management is referred into the care of another professional and/or if psychological services are no longer required.
Continuity of services
In the event of planned or unplanned circumstances where the psychologist is unable to continue psychological services for a short duration of time (i.e. sick leave, leave, family responsibility) the psychologist will arrange for a qualified clinical psychologist locum to offer services should you require.
In the event of unplanned circumstances where the psychologist is unable to continue psychological services for a lengthily duration of time (i.e. demise, injury, illness or any other form of incapacitation), the psychologist’s Professional Will (which contains detailed instructions on how their practice will be managed) will be executed accordingly.
Minors and Adolescents
Your child’s/adolescent’s information is confidential to Peace of Mind Psychology and our administrative and clinical team, and confidentiality is applied within the limits of the clinician. In order to positively support the therapy and assessment process we may need to speak/work with others (this may include but not limited to liaising with teachers, school support staff such as counsellors/learning support staff, GP’s and other professionals) to collect information and to provide the necessary care/support for you and/or your child/adolescent.
Please be aware we will not share information without your permission if your child/adolescent is under 16 years old. If your adolescent is 16 to 17 years old, we will ask their permission to be able to share information. If they are 18 years old or older, we cannot share any information without their permission. Limitations to confidentiality occur if consent is provided to disclose information, if legal orders are requested from the court, if it is mandatory reporting or if there are concerns about your child’s/adolescent’s and/others safety or a medical emergency. In the above situations your and/or your child’s/adolescent’s consent will be requested but should it not be received we will still act on behalf of your child’s/adolescent’s and/or others safety and seek the necessary emergency support required or abide by any legal court orders.
Please note whilst parental involvement is essential, privacy in therapy is also crucial to successful progress, especially with adolescents. Therefore, we will discuss with you and your child/adolescent about access to information and information sharing with legal guardians/parents (such as providing general information about treatment progress and attendance). Any other information will be discussed with the child/adolescent, and we aim to address objections he/she may have, before sharing any information with legal guardians/parents, unless there are concerns about your child’s/adolescent’s and/others safety or an emergency. In the event of concerns about safety and/or emergency for your child/adolescent and/or others, parents will be notified. Parents can also be provided with a summary of their child’s treatment when it is complete. Clients under 18 years of age who are not living independently from their legal guardians/parents should be aware that the law may allow legal guardians/parents to examine their child’s/adolescent’s treatment.
Should your child have more than one guardian/parent, the other guardian/parent must be made aware of this referral (by the referring guardian/parent), and we respectfully request you ensure they are informed, and their permission sought, before they are seen at Peace of Mind Psychology.
Guidelines for Emergency Contact
In the event of an emergency arising whilst you are engaged in therapy (these include experiencing suicidal thoughts, risk of harm to others or a medical emergency), the appropriate support that you could access during this period will be discussed. Should the situation prove to be potentially dire your consent will be requested but should it not be received we will still act on behalf of your and/or others safety and seek the necessary emergency support required.
If you or someone are in an emergency situation or a major crisis (this includes considering serious self-harm or harm to others or a medical emergency) it would be vital you seek immediate emergency support. Call 111 immediately.
For additional information during a crisis visit In a Crisis and Coping with Suicidal Thoughts.
Below are additional emergency support contact information.
Emergency support contacts
Local DHB crisis line. Auckland crisis line – 0800 800 717
Emergency services New Zealand (i.e. New Zealand police, fire department or ambulance) for any crisis or life-threatening situation – 111
Lifeline – 0800 543 354
Samaritans – 0800 726 666
Suicide Crisis Helpline (24/7 line available) – 0508 828 865
For additional support services for young people
Kidsline – 0800 543 754
Youthline – 0800 376 633
What’s Up – 0800 942 8787
Links for more information Mental Health Foundation NZ, Helplines and Mental Health Services , The Low Down , Kids Health and Youth Line.
Additionally, for online therapy we encourage and request clients to engage in location sharing for the duration of the session. This will support the client’s safety and the ability of the psychologist to ensure the client receives the necessary emergency care in the event of a medical emergency and/or risk to self/others. For more information on location sharing go to Google Maps Location Sharing. This preferred option can be discussed should you have any concerns.
Confidentiality and Security
Sessions are held in accordance with the NZPB ‘Ethical Framework for Psychologists’, and also the NZPB Guidelines for Online Therapy and Psychotherapy. For your confidentiality, we encourage that you keep all communications associated to these psychological services secure and password protected, as well as being vigilant about who may have access to the information.
For online therapy, every effort is made to provide a safe and secure environment with platforms using encryption software to protect your confidentiality. It is recommended that clients use an encrypted email server for email exchanges and encryption software for sharing information whilst engaging with therapy. Kindly ensure that you are seated in a confidential space (headphones or earphones are recommended).
Digital information is stored within password protected device or hard drive and hardcopies are stored in locked storage. We do our best to ensure other information which is transmitted via emails or text-message or within the video-conferencing platform is transmitted securely.
Limitations to confidentiality occur if consent is provided to disclose information, if legal orders are requested from the court, if it is mandatory reporting or if there are concerns about your and/others safety or a medical emergency. In the above situations your consent will be requested but should it not be received we will still act on behalf of your and/or others safety and seek the necessary emergency support required or abide by any legal court orders.
Disclaimer
- Work undertaken is in accordance with the laws of the practitioner’s (psychologist’s) country and disputes are subject to laws of that country.
- Although we aim to offer a confidential service, there may be a risk to confidentiality. Confidentiality can be breached when using third-party applications, the inherent risk with storage of information (hard-copy or digital), sharing of information (hard-copy or digital), using technology, the internet and electronic transmission of information. There is also the possibility of interception or misdirection of internet transmission and emails.
- We have done the due diligence, and are satisfied at present time that the platform and other processes/policies associated to these psychological services offered are secure, and will not be held liable for circumstances associate to unforeseen circumstances or Force Majeure
- In the case of therapy, insurance companies, ethical bodies and legal requirements may require records to be made available (you will be notified).
Late Policy
Clients are expected to arrive in good time for their appointments. Should you arrive late you will be seen for the remainder time of your session and if you arrive 15 or more minutes late you will need to re-book your appointment. This is to prevent delays to other psychology consult sessions and to ensure fairness for clients who have arrived on time.
We appreciate the effort our clients make to attend on time and therefore do our best to run as close to booked appointment times as possible. Adhering to a late policy assists us in doing so. However, due to the nature of a psychology consult session, sometimes we may be running behind due to emergencies that require urgent attention. You will still be seen for your full time or you will be given the opportunity to reschedule.
Payment and Cancellation Policy
Fees are payable per a session prior to consultation or at the time of consultation in cash or via electronic transfer. We require 24hr notice for cancellation of a session. Sessions not attended without prior notice will be charged the full fee. EAP sessions not attended without prior notice will incur a reduction in the number of sessions entitled. ACC sessions require 24hr notice for cancellations to ensure continuity of sessions. The above may not be applicable to emergencies or sudden illness with a doctor’s letter.
If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact me at: peaceofmindpschology.waheeda@gmail.com or telephone: 027 317 3467 or visit Peace of Mind Psychology