Informed Consent for Treatment
This document outlines important information about the services provided and tools used by Two Chairs, including details about your care, privacy, and rights. Please read it carefully to understand our practices and your agreement to them.
Whether you receive services in-office or through teletherapy, the Two Chairs Informed Consent, Practice Policies, Notice of Privacy Practices, and all applicable Federal and State laws apply.
The Therapeutic Process
Seeking therapy is a courageous and positive step, and the success of treatment largely depends on your active participation. This process may, at times, be uncomfortable. Recalling difficult memories and confronting the emotions associated with them can evoke strong feelings such as anger, depression, or anxiety. There are no quick fixes, and Two Chairs cannot guarantee changes in your behavior or circumstances. However, we are committed to providing you with support, striving to understand your recurring patterns, and assisting you in clarifying your personal goals.
We recognize that treatment can be an emotional experience, and are committed to providing a safe environment for our clients to express themselves. If you feel your clinician is not a good fit or have concerns about the quality of your care, please contact support@twochairs.com.
Benefits of Therapy
Therapy offers a secure environment to:
- Explore thoughts, feelings, and concerns.
- Develop effective coping strategies for challenging situations.
- Enhance self-awareness and self-exploration, leading to an improved quality of life.
Potential Risks of Therapy
- Therapy may involve experiencing uncomfortable or unpleasant feelings, and symptoms could potentially worsen before improving.
Teletherapy
Teletherapy offers a flexible approach to mental health care, utilizing secure video conferencing or, at times, phone calls for therapy sessions. This digital method serves as an effective alternative for ongoing treatment when in-person meetings are either not feasible or not preferred. However, opting for teletherapy services is not required.
Benefits of Teletherapy
- Teletherapy makes it simpler to access and consistently continue your mental health care.
- You can attend sessions from a location of your choice, though some restrictions may apply based on federal, state, or local laws.
Potential Risks of Teletherapy
- Disruptions: Sessions may be interrupted by background noise, technical difficulties, or other unforeseen issues.
- Privacy Concerns: There's a risk of unauthorized access to your health information if you're not in a private and secure location during your session.
- Crisis Management: In the event of a crisis during a session, your clinician will not be physically present with you.
Confidentiality
Therapy session content and all relevant materials to your care are confidential unless you provide written consent. However, exceptions exist:
- Risk of Harm to Self: If a client poses a substantial risk of serious bodily harm to themselves.
- Risk of Harm to Others: If a client threatens grave bodily harm or death to another person.
- Mandated Reporting: Clinicians must report suspected child, elder, or dependent adult abuse or neglect (physical, emotional, sexual, or financial). Reporting laws vary by state.
- Court Orders: Two Chairs will provide information in response to subpoenas or court orders, as required by law.
- Court-Ordered Therapy: Confidentiality may not apply in court-ordered therapy or when providing expert reports to an attorney.
In order to provide the best care for you, your clinician may occasionally consult with other professionals, both within Two Chairs (internal) and externally. Internal communications among Two Chairs clinicians involved in your care are permitted by HIPAA and state law for diagnosis and treatment. For external consults, information may be shared without using your name or other identifying information unless your written consent is obtained.
Coordination of Care with Your Referral
Two Chairs may work with the healthcare provider or entity that referred you to us. Privacy laws like HIPAA let us share information about your care and treatment. However, we will not share sensitive information like details about drug or alcohol use, genetic test results, or HIV/AIDS test results.
Electronic Communication
As part of receiving services, we may send you various communications related to your care. These communications may include information on getting started with care, appointment reminders, administrative messages, and other service-related messages (“Communications”). We use electronic forms of communication, including but not limited to: (1) emails to the address provided during sign-up, (2) short message service (“SMS”) text messages to the mobile number provided during sign-up, and (3) Two Chairs Client App.
If you prefer an alternate means of communication, you may submit a written request to support@twochairs.com and we will do our best to accommodate.
See more on Electronic Terms of Service here.
Health Information Exchanges
Two Chairs may share your Protected Health Information (PHI) through Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) and/or Health Information Networks (HINs) for treatment, and/or healthcare operations purposes. This allows Two Chairs and other healthcare providers and organizations involved in your care to efficiently share and utilize information for your treatment and other lawful purposes.
We will not share sensitive information related to substance use or abuse as protected under 42 CFR Part 2 privacy regulations, nor will we share psychotherapy treatment notes.
By agreeing to this consent, you agree to be included in any HIE/HIN that Two Chairs participates in. If you wish to opt-out, please notify us in writing at support@twochairs.com.
Complaints
Two Chairs is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality care. If you have concerns about the care you received or any aspect of your experience with us, we encourage you to share them. Your feedback will be reviewed promptly and confidentially, and will not affect your care or treatment. Please email us at complaints@twochairs.com.
Our clinicians are licensed and credentialed with the appropriate state licensing board(s) for the protection of the public health and safety. It's important to note that this credentialing does not include recognition of any practice standards, nor does it guarantee the effectiveness of any particular treatment. If you have a complaint against a licensee, registrant, or certificate holder, please submit it in writing to the appropriate state board.
Questions
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Informed Consent, please speak to your clinician, or contact us at support@twochairs.com.
If you are experiencing an emergency, crisis, or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or the National Crisis Hotline at 988, or go to your nearest emergency room. Additional crisis resources can be found at here