The Therapy Contract comprises two parts: an email template with details specific to your client and a second separate document with standard text outlining the focus for therapy, how it will be conducted, therapeutic boundaries and ends with explaining the benefits and limitations of online therapy. Together they enable you to gain informed consent from your client to engage in online or in person therapy.
This contract applies to both face to face and online therapy as there is a sub-section on online therapy for those clients who are receiving therapy that way. I don’t use separate contracts because:
a) less onerous for those clients who see me both online and face to face
b) less admin for me
c) it is unnecessary as the single document contains appropriate information for both situations
At the end of the assessment phase and when we are ready to start therapy.
The document starts with some introductory text you can use in an email when you send out the contract. This email acts as an adjunct to the standard text featured in the main contract document. You can use this email template to tailor the contract to your client.
The combined document includes the client’s individual focus for therapy, how many sessions we contract initially, when we’ll review, when and how we meet and what my fee will be. The contract also explains the benefits and drawbacks of online therapy and what my personal therapeutic approach is, what I expect of them and what they can expect of me. There is a statement about dual relationships and boundaries, social media contact outside the therapeutic relationship and finally their informed consent is gained to participate in therapy sessions. When consenting, clients are directed to read my Terms and Conditions and Social Media and Communications and Audio-Visual recordings Policies on my website.
Headings are:
Introductory customisable email template as adjunct to main contract:
Standard text in main Therapy Contract:
* Please note the PDF templates are partially editable. You can insert your logo and company name and fields are available for clients to insert their information. However, as they are PDFs certain formatting features are fixed. You can however fully edit the Word documents which contain identical content.