INFORMED CONSENT FORM 

1) What Is Counselling? 

Counselling is an active process; it enables individuals to take responsibility for their current circumstances and to consciously make changes to their thinking and behavioral patterns in order to reach their highest potential. At TGHC, we are trained to use different counselling tools and techniques to navigate through the sessions, we would choose to explain and keep the client informed about these techniques and on how it would help to move towards the goal. However at every point the client is in control and can decide the direction of the session. 

At TGHC we believe that you have all the resources that you need. Therefore we would not give you any advice on what you must do or on how you must live your life. We at TGHC are here to guide you and help you to tap into your inner resources. The process requires you to deal with uncomfortable emotions: counselling helps to identify old limiting patterns and behaviors and in order to change them, our councilors would have to bring up and discuss emotions and memories that could be difficult and suppressed. It is important to talk about the discomfort being experienced as this can be the turning point towards positive change. 

2) Confidentiality: 

Confidentiality is an important element of ethical therapy. At TGHC we respect your confidentiality; hence all assessment results are encrypted on our server. Results of the free assessments on the website are visible only to you. When you complete an assessment recommended to you by your councilor, those results are only visible to both of you and nobody besides you and your therapist will have access to your self-evaluation reports. However in some cases I am ethically bound to break confidentiality if the client’s condition poses any threat to the life of others or threat to oneself. This would be done in the best interest of the client and would be done after discussing with the client. 

If the client is under the age of 18, then limited counselling information can be shared with parents without the written consent of the client. However all attempts will be made to include the client in this process. 

You register with TGHC using your email address and we request your name and telephone number for maintaining additional contact via phone and SMS when needed. When you respond to the assessment tools that your expert shares with you during the process of therapy or counselling, we retain your assessment reports. All information you provide is encrypted and hence, secured. 

None of the video or voice sessions are recorded. TGHC retains your personal information to support you through the counselling process and to enable you to use the TGHC member services. Your assessment results and the therapy notes created by your therapist stay on our secure servers for assisting the therapy process. All this information is encrypted using the recommended industry standards for security, and is available only to you and your therapist at any point in time. 

3) Counselling Relationship: 

The counselling relationship is professional and formal. Therefore it is encouraged that all forms of contact between the counsellor and the client happen only at scheduled sessions. If either the counsellor or client feels that the sessions are not productive and not focused on the main objective then we at TGHC can discuss the situation with both the Counsellor and the client and explore the option of replacing the existing counsellor. This decision would be taken jointly with the client and TGHC. 

4) Scheduling Sessions:

Each counselling session is scheduled for an hour, it is important that the client logs in for the sessions on time. There is usually a two week’s gap between the sessions, in order to give the client a chance to implement the concepts discussed. The client would also be given reflective worksheets to do through the week. 

Too long gaps between the sessions could reduce the effectiveness of the session and impact the progress. 

It is ideal to have a minimum of five sessions. As we need to understand that changing patterns and beliefs does take time and effort. However, the decision is ultimately yours. For best results we can work between 7-12 sessions. 

We would also schedule follow up sessions to assess the effectiveness of new patterns and to check in one’s progress. The frequency of these sessions is based on your comfort levels and can be weekly or monthly. 

5) Cancelling and terminating sessions 

If the client is unable to make it for a scheduled appointment then a request to reschedule the session must be done 5 hours prior to the scheduled time slot. This is done in order to accommodate other sessions. If the sessions are cancelled without 5 hours’ notice then it would be chargeable. If either one of us decides to terminate the sessions mid way, then we would have to have one concluding session which would help us bring together all learning in a positive manner.