Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Client | Introspectus Counselling
Building Trust Through Mutual Understanding
📋 Quick Summary
- ✅ You have the right to understand what you’re agreeing to and ask questions anytime
- 🔒 Your privacy is protected with clear legal and ethical limits
- 🚪 You can end therapy whenever you want, for any reason
- ⏰ Please arrive on time or give 24-hour notice for cancellations
- 💬 Honest engagement matters – therapy works best when you participate openly
- 🤝 We work together – mutual respect makes meaningful change possible
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Your Rights
Right to Informed Consent
You have the right to know what you’re agreeing to. Before we start working together, I’ll explain how therapy works, what my approach looks like, and what you can expect from our sessions. If something isn’t clear, ask. If it doesn’t make sense three sessions in, ask again. Understanding what you’re participating in isn’t just helpful; it’s your right.
Right to Confidentiality
Your privacy is protected. What you share in session stays confidential, with four specific legal exceptions: if there’s imminent risk of serious harm to yourself or others, suspected abuse of a child under 19, suspected abuse of a vulnerable adult, or a court order requiring disclosure. You can read more about how this works in our Privacy Policy & Confidentiality.
Right to Ask Questions Anytime
Right to Refuse or Decline Interventions
Right to Access Your Clinical File
You have access to your clinical file. You can request to see what I’ve documented about our work together. There are some limitations (like not sharing my process notes or information that could harm you or someone else), but your file isn’t secret. Understanding what I’m recording and why is part of informed consent.
Right to a Second Opinion or Referral
You can get a second opinion. If you’re not sure we’re a good fit, or if you want another perspective on your treatment, you can ask for a referral. This isn’t a rejection; it’s you advocating for yourself. I’d rather help you find the right fit than have you stay in therapy that isn’t working.
Right to End Therapy
You can end therapy whenever you want. You don’t need my permission to stop coming. You don’t owe me an explanation. Ideally, we’d have a closing conversation to process the work we’ve done and discuss next steps, but ultimately the choice to continue or stop is always yours.
Right to Dignity and Respect
You deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. This means cultural sensitivity, awareness of your specific experiences and identities, and an approach that honors who you are. If you ever feel disrespected or misunderstood, that’s something we need to address directly.
Right to File a Complaint
You can file a complaint if needed. If you believe I’ve violated professional or ethical standards, you have the right to file a complaint with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA). You can learn more about this process on our Complaint Process page.
Right to Access and Correct Personal Information
You can access and correct your personal information. Under BC’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), you have the right to know what personal information I hold about you and to request corrections if something is inaccurate. This is about transparency in how your information is managed.
Your Responsibilities
Show Up on Time or Provide Cancellation Notice
Show up on time, or let me know you can’t make it. I ask for 24-hour notice if you need to cancel or reschedule. This isn’t about control; it’s about sustainability. Late cancellations mean I can’t fill that time, which directly impacts my ability to maintain this practice. You can read more about how this works in our Cancellation and No-Show Policy.
Pay Agreed-Upon Fees
Pay agreed-upon fees. Sessions are $150 each, due at the time of service. If you’re working with insurance for direct billing (once we’ve established our work together), that’s handled differently. If cost becomes a barrier, let’s talk about it rather than letting it build into something that ends our work together. See our Fees & Billing Policy for more details.
Engage Honestly and Openly
Engage honestly and openly. Therapy works through what you bring into the room. You don’t have to share everything immediately, and it’s normal to test the waters before diving deep. But genuine participation matters. Going through the motions or avoiding what’s really bothering you makes it hard for us to do meaningful work.
Tell Me If Something Isn't Working
Tell me if something isn’t working. If you disagree with something I’ve said, if an approach feels wrong, if you’re frustrated with our progress—that’s all important information. I can’t adjust if I don’t know something’s off. This kind of honesty often leads to the most significant breakthroughs.
Keep Me Updated on Important Changes
Keep me updated on important changes. If your contact information changes, if your insurance coverage shifts, if your emergency contact should be someone different—let me know. These aren’t just administrative details; they’re part of keeping you safe and our work running smoothly.
Follow Your Safety Plan
Follow your safety plan if we’ve made one. If we’ve developed specific strategies for managing crisis situations or high-risk moments, I need you to use them. This might mean contacting crisis support, going to emergency services, or following other agreed-upon steps. Your safety is the priority, and planning only works if you actually follow through.
Respect Professional Boundaries
Respect professional boundaries. This includes the confidentiality of anyone else you might encounter (like in a waiting room), as well as the boundaries we’ve discussed about communication between sessions, social media contact, and other aspects of our professional relationship. These aren’t arbitrary; they protect the therapeutic space we’re building together.
How We Work Together
When we both show up with clarity about our respective roles and responsibilities, we can focus on what actually matters: your growth, your healing, and your capacity to live the life you want.
💬 Questions about how this works in practice? Let’s discuss during your first session. You can also email me at sean@introspectuscounselling.ca before booking if you want to clarify expectations upfront.
Important Reminders
You are not obligated to continue therapy if it is not helpful or if we are not a good fit. Sometimes the match isn’t right, and that’s okay. Sometimes you get what you need after a few sessions and you’re done. Sometimes life circumstances change and therapy isn’t a priority anymore. All of these are valid reasons to stop. You don’t owe me ongoing attendance.
Your rights are protected by the CCPA Code of Ethics and BC privacy law (PIPA). These aren’t just feel-good statements; they’re enforceable professional standards that govern how I practice. If you want to read more about these protections, the CCPA publishes their Code of Ethics publicly, and you can learn about PIPA through the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC.
Questions or Concerns?
Sean Lewis, Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC)