Therapy Agreement

1. Who I Am

• My name is Michael Conti, and I am the person offering this service. You can find my legal and contact details here.

2. How Your Personal Data Is Handled

• I keep only the minimum amount of personal information needed to offer you a safe, ethical, and legal service. All information is stored securely: either electronically or in a locked physical space.
• Session notes are anonymised and stored separately.
• Some of your details may be stored on services I use (e.g. email, invoicing, calendar apps). These services have their own privacy protections in place. I take care in choosing secure platforms but I cannot be held responsible if one of these services has a data breach.

3. Accessing Your Information

• You can ask to see your data by sending me a written request. If you think something should be changed, we can discuss it. If we agree, I’ll update it once you request it in writing. If we don’t agree, and you still don’t want the information stored, you can ask me to delete it (see point 4).

4. Deleting Your Information

• Emails are deleted when they’re no longer needed (e.g. after a session is rescheduled or our work ends).
• Notes are kept for 5 years after the end of the quarter in which our work ends (March, June, September, or December), and then securely deleted.
• Financial records are kept for the period required by law.
• If you want your information deleted earlier, you must request this in writing.
• Any signed paper forms (e.g. agreement) are kept securely for 10 years and then securely destroyed.

5. Communication

• All scheduling of and communication about sessions is handled via email.
• In case of urgent communication – such as last-minute cancellations or if you haven’t turned up for a session and I need to follow up – a secure instant messaging app will be used (e.g. Signal). Please make sure I have your correct contact information there.
• Online sessions are held over secure video platforms. Any messages or emails used for scheduling are deleted after they are no longer needed.

6. Confidentiality and Duty of Care

• What you share in sessions is confidential. I will not share any of your personal information with others unless you ask me to in writing, or I am required to by law.
• However, in case of clear and imminent danger of harm to yourself or others, or in case where I am legally required by law, I may need to break confidentiality. I will attempt to do this in the most helpful way possible and might need to involve your emergency contact or the emergency services.
• Please do not share sensitive personal material by email or text. I do not take responsibility for information you choose to send in this way.
• To ensure quality of care, I may discuss parts of our work (without identifying you) with a supervisor or mentor. They are also bound by confidentiality.

7. Cancelling Sessions

• If you need to cancel or move a session, please give at least 48 hours’ notice.
• Exceptions may be made in cases of medical urgency or emergency.
• If you don’t show up for a scheduled session, I will attempt to send a reminder via the messaging app. 
• Unless you notify me that you’re turning up late, if you don’t turn up within the first 15 minutes, I will assume that you are not attending the appointment. 
• Not showing up for an appointment always results in the session being charged in full.

8. Inactive Clients

• If no appointments are scheduled for more than two months — and we haven’t agreed this in advance — I’ll assume that our work has naturally come to a close. In that case, I’ll close your file and free up your space for someone else who may be waiting. You’re always welcome to reach out again in the future if you’d like to return.

9. Commitment and Boundaries

• Therapy works best when there is mutual respect and clarity. I commit to offering you a professional, attuned, and confidential space. In return, I ask that you come to sessions on time, honour the agreements we make, and engage with the process as best you can. 
• Once an appointment is agreed, I encourage you to treat it as a committed time. Regularly changing scheduled sessions can interrupt the flow of the work, so it’s helpful to keep them as stable as possible. If anything feels off at any time, I always welcome a conversation about it.

10. Fees and Payment

• Fees are adjusted periodically. Payment is made via bank transfer and is due within 5 calendar days of each session, unless we’ve agreed otherwise. If you have any difficulties with payment, please let me know — we can try to find a way to accommodate this.

11. Concerns or Complaints

• If you feel I’ve acted unethically, you are free to raise this with the relevant professional body. Details are available here.