Client Agreement & Informed Consent
At ILAMOS, therapy is a collaborative process. This agreement provides important information about the services offered, what you can expect from therapy, your rights and choices, confidentiality and privacy, and the arrangements that apply when working together.
Please take the time to read this information before commencing therapy. You are encouraged to ask questions at any time.
About Therapy
ILAMOS provides psychotherapy, counselling and clinical hypnotherapy.
Therapy may involve exploring thoughts, emotions, behaviours, experiences and patterns that are relevant to the difficulties you are experiencing and the changes you would like to make.
The therapeutic approach will be guided by your individual circumstances, goals and preferences and will remain within the practitioner's professional training and scope of practice.
Therapy is collaborative and your participation is voluntary. You are encouraged to ask questions, express preferences or concerns, and discuss whether a particular therapeutic approach feels appropriate for you.
At times, therapy may involve discussing experiences, thoughts, emotions or behaviours that feel challenging or uncomfortable. You are encouraged to communicate any concerns or discomfort so these can be discussed and the approach considered together.
You may decline, pause or stop a particular therapeutic technique or exercise at any time.
While therapy is intended to support meaningful change, individual experiences and outcomes vary and no particular outcome can be guaranteed.
Clinical Hypnotherapy
Clinical hypnotherapy may be incorporated into therapy where it is appropriate to your therapeutic goals and with your consent.
Hypnosis involves focused attention and engagement with therapeutic ideas, imagery and suggestions. It is a collaborative process in which you remain an active participant.
Hypnosis does not involve surrendering control. You remain able to communicate, make choices and pause or end the process at any time.
Individual experiences of hypnosis vary, and no particular response or therapeutic outcome can be guaranteed.
Clinical hypnotherapy will only be used with your consent.
Young People and Consent
ILAMOS provides therapy to adolescents as well as adults.
When therapy is provided to a person under 18 years of age, consent arrangements will be considered according to the young person's age, maturity, understanding, individual circumstances and capacity to understand the proposed service and make an informed decision.
Depending on the circumstances, consent may be provided by a parent or legal guardian, by a young person who has sufficient maturity and understanding to provide their own informed consent, or through an appropriate combination of young-person and parent or guardian involvement.
The young person will be provided with information about therapy, confidentiality and its limits in language appropriate to their age and understanding.
ILAMOS aims to provide young people with an appropriate degree of privacy within the therapeutic relationship while recognising the important role parents and guardians may have in supporting their wellbeing.
The confidentiality arrangements that apply to therapy will be discussed with the young person and, where appropriate, their parent or guardian at the commencement of therapy.
Information will not routinely be shared with a parent or guardian simply because they arranged or paid for therapy. The information that may be shared will depend on the young person's capacity, consent, safety, applicable legal and professional obligations and the particular circumstances.
Confidentiality may need to be limited where there are serious safety concerns, where an applicable reporting obligation arises, or where disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law.
Where appropriate and reasonably possible, the young person will be informed before confidential information is disclosed.
Confidentiality
Information you share during therapy is treated as confidential and handled in accordance with applicable privacy requirements and professional obligations.
There are circumstances in which confidentiality may need to be limited. Information may be disclosed where:
you have provided consent for the information to be shared;
disclosure is required or authorised by law, including where an applicable mandatory reporting obligation arises;
ILAMOS reasonably believes disclosure is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to the life, health or safety of you or another person, where disclosure is permitted by law; or
disclosure is otherwise permitted or required under applicable privacy or other legal requirements.
Where appropriate and reasonably possible, any need to disclose information will be discussed with you before information is shared.
Further information about how ILAMOS collects, stores, uses and discloses personal and health information is available in the Privacy Policy.
Your Personal and Health Information
To provide therapy, ILAMOS may collect personal and health information that is reasonably necessary for providing services to you.
This may include information provided through intake forms, information discussed during sessions, relevant health and medication information, appointment and billing information, correspondence and clinical notes.
Your information will be handled in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.
You may request access to, or correction of, personal information held about you, subject to applicable legal requirements and exceptions.
Further information is available in the Privacy Policy.
Clinical Records
Appropriate clinical records are maintained in connection with the services provided to you.
Clinical records may include intake information, relevant session notes, correspondence, assessments and other information associated with your therapy.
Reasonable steps are taken to protect personal and health information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Further information about the management and retention of your information and clinical records is available in the Privacy Policy.
Professional Supervision and Consultation
Professional supervision and consultation support ethical and effective therapeutic practice.
From time to time, aspects of therapeutic work may be discussed with an appropriately qualified supervisor or professional colleague for professional supervision or consultation.
Where this occurs, information will be limited to what is relevant to the purpose of the consultation, and identifying information will be avoided wherever practicable.
AI-Assisted Clinical Notes
ILAMOS may use NovoNote, an AI-assisted clinical documentation tool, to support the preparation of clinical notes.
When NovoNote is used, audio from the session is temporarily processe Confidentialityd to create a transcript and draft clinical note. The audio is not retained as part of your clinical record.
Any clinical note generated with the assistance of NovoNote will be reviewed and, where necessary, edited by your practitioner before being retained as part of your clinical record. NovoNote does not replace professional judgement or make decisions about your therapy.
NovoNote will only be used where you have provided specific consent to its use. You may decline or withdraw that consent for future sessions without affecting your access to therapy.
Where NovoNote is proposed for a young person's session, appropriate consent will be obtained having regard to the young person's capacity and the consent arrangements applying to their therapy.
Further information about how ILAMOS uses and protects personal and health information, including the use of third-party technology providers, is available in the Privacy Policy.
Recording and Use of Material
Except for the temporary processing of session audio through NovoNote where appropriate consent has been provided, therapy sessions will not be audio or video recorded or transcribed without your knowledge and specific consent.
Any other recording, transcription or use of session material outside the usual provision of therapy will require separate consent where appropriate.
Consent provided for one purpose will not automatically be treated as consent for another purpose.
Appointments and Fees
Current session durations and fees are available on the ILAMOS website and will be communicated as part of the booking process.
Payment is required in accordance with the arrangements advised at the time of booking.
If fees or appointment arrangements change, relevant information will be made available before the change applies to your appointment.
Cancellations and Rescheduling
If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please provide at least 24 hours' notice.
Late cancellations and missed appointments may incur a cancellation fee.
Full details, including applicable fees and arrangements, are available in the Cancellation Policy.
Telehealth Sessions
Telehealth sessions provide an alternative to attending therapy in person.
You are encouraged to participate from a quiet, private location where you feel comfortable speaking freely and interruptions can be minimised.
At the beginning of a telehealth session, you may be asked to confirm your current location and an appropriate contact method where this is reasonably necessary for the safe provision of the service.
You are responsible for ensuring that you have an appropriate device and internet connection for the session.
If technology significantly disrupts a session, an alternative method of communication or arrangement for the appointment will be discussed with you.
Communication Between Sessions
Email, text messaging and other electronic communication are primarily intended for appointments and administrative matters.
Electronic communications may not be monitored immediately and should not be relied upon for urgent or crisis support.
Clinical or therapeutic matters are generally best discussed during a scheduled session.
Crisis and Emergency Support
ILAMOS does not provide an emergency or crisis response service. Emails, text messages and other communications with ILAMOS may not be monitored immediately and should not be relied upon for urgent or crisis support.
If you or another person is in immediate danger or requires urgent assistance, call 000 or attend the nearest hospital emergency department.
For 24-hour crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Additional support services are available on the Crisis & Emergency Support page of the ILAMOS website.
Working With Other Professionals
There may be circumstances where another practitioner or service is better placed to provide particular support, or where working alongside another professional may be beneficial.
Where appropriate, this will be discussed with you and a referral or recommendation may be suggested.
Where your consent is required to exchange information with another professional or organisation, you will be informed about the purpose of the information exchange and the information proposed to be shared before your consent is obtained.
Information will only be shared with another provider with your consent unless disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law.
Your Participation in Therapy
Therapy is a collaborative process. Your participation may include reflecting on what is discussed during sessions and, where appropriate, practising strategies or completing agreed activities between sessions.
You remain free to make your own decisions about your participation in therapy and the changes you choose to make.
You may ask questions, raise concerns or request changes to the therapeutic approach at any time.
Ending Therapy
You may choose to end therapy at any time.
Where possible, discussing your decision provides an opportunity to review your progress, address any concerns and consider what may be helpful moving forward.
ILAMOS may also discuss concluding therapy or referral to another practitioner or service where your needs fall outside the practitioner's professional scope, where another service may be more appropriate, or where continuing the therapeutic relationship is no longer appropriate.
Where possible, this will be discussed with you and consideration given to appropriate next steps.
Feedback and Complaints
You are encouraged to raise questions, concerns or feedback about your experience at any time.
ILAMOS aims to respond to concerns respectfully, fairly and within a reasonable timeframe.
Making a complaint will not disadvantage you in accessing services.
Your Right to Ask Questions
You are encouraged to ask questions about any aspect of therapy, including the therapeutic approach being proposed, confidentiality, privacy, fees or anything else that is important to you.
If anything in this agreement is unclear, you are encouraged to discuss it before providing consent.
Informed Consent
Before commencing therapy, you will be asked to provide informed consent as part of the ILAMOS client intake process.
By providing consent, you confirm that you have received and understood relevant information about the services being offered, have had an opportunity to ask questions, and voluntarily agree to participate in therapy.
Consent is an ongoing process rather than a one-time decision. You may ask questions, express concerns, decline a particular therapeutic approach or withdraw your consent at any time.
If the nature of the proposed therapy changes significantly, further information will be provided and your consent discussed where appropriate.