What you say is confidential
What you say in a session is confidential. That is a professional and a legal duty.
I do not tell anyone that you are a client, and I do not discuss what you have said, unless you ask me to in writing.
The limits of confidentiality
Confidentiality is not absolute, and it would be untrue to say that it is. There are a few narrow situations in which a psychologist has a duty to act:
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if there is a serious risk to your life or to someone else’s;
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if a child is being abused or neglected, which the law requires to be reported;
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if a court orders that information be given.
If one of these ever applies, I will tell you first wherever I can.
Who can see my records?
Your employer cannot, unless you give written consent.
Your partner or family cannot, unless you give written consent.
Your doctor only if you ask me to send a report or a letter.
What does my medical aid see?
If you claim from a medical scheme, the scheme receives the claim. A claim normally shows the practice, the dates of your sessions, the fee, and a diagnostic code.
The scheme does not receive my session notes.
The main member of a scheme can usually see on the statement that a claim was paid to a psychologist. If that worries you, you can pay privately and not claim. We can talk about it before you decide.
For parents and teenagers
What a teenager says in a session is treated as private. I do not report back to a parent on what was said.
A parent is told, in general terms, how things are going. I will always tell a parent if I believe a young person is at risk of serious harm.
I explain this to the teenager and the parent together at the start, so that everyone knows where they stand.
If your employer or a wellness programme referred you
Before we start, I will tell you exactly what, if anything, is reported back.
Nothing about what you say in a session is given to an employer without your written consent.
How records are kept
Your records are kept securely, as the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and the HPCSA require. Only I have access to clinical notes.
You may ask to see what information the practice holds about you. See the Privacy & POPIA page.