Deborah Cooper, MFT
License #MFT22131

General Information about Therapeutic Services 

The Therapy Process –  Psychotherapy and couples counseling can result in a number of benefits, including a better understanding of your personal goals and values, improved interpersonal relationships, and resolution of the specific concerns that led you to seek therapy.  The quality of the relationship between therapist and client is integral to the success of the therapy, so input from you is welcomed as to how my style and approach is working for you as well as any and all questions and concerns you have regarding the process.  In my therapeutic work I use a number of techniques including, but not limited to, psychodynamic, transpersonal, psychoeducational, somatic, cognitive-behavioral, Jungian, and narrative.

Client’s Rights – Within certain legal limits (see # 3 below), information revealed by you during the course of therapy will be kept completely confidential and will not be revealed to any person without your written permission. If you participate in couples or family therapy, I will not disclose confidential information about your treatment unless all person(s) who participated in the treatment with you provide their written authorization to release. In addition, I will not disclose information communicated privately to me by one family member to any other family member without permission.

1. You have the right to know the content of your records at any time and I have the right to provide you with the complete records or a summary of their content.
2. If you authorize me to, I can release any part of your records on file to any person you specify. I will tell you when you make your request whether or not I think releasing that information to that agency or person might be harmful to you.
3. Under certain legally defined situations, I have the duty to reveal information you tell me during the course of therapy to other persons without your written consent. I am not required to inform you of my actions if this occurs. These legally defined situations include:
       a.  Revealing to me active child abuse or neglect; if a perpetrator is in contact with minors and there is a reasonable suspicion that he/she may still be abusing minors; if active  physical abuse of a dependent adult or an elder is taking place.  
      b. If you seriously threaten harm or death to another person, I am required to warn the intended victim and notify the appropriate law enforcement agencies.
      c. If you are in therapy or are being tested by order of the court, the results of the treatment or tests ordered must be revealed to that court.
      d. If a court of law issues a legitimate subpoena, I am required by law to provide the information specifically described in that subpoena.
      e. If you are in a lawsuit claiming emotional harm, the opposing side may subpoena your therapy records.
4. You have the right to ask questions about any of the procedures used in the course of your therapy and their possible risks. You also have the right to ask about other treatments and their risks and benefits. If you could benefit from any treatment that I am not qualified to provide, I have an ethical obligation to assist you in obtaining those treatments.
5. Should you choose not to enter therapy with me, I will provide you with names of other qualified professionals whose services you might prefer.
6. You have the right to discontinue therapy at any time. Please always feel free to initiate a discussion of your treatment alternatives, including, among other possibilities, changing your treatment plan, referral to another professional, or stopping or taking a break from therapy. I value keeping an open door with those I have worked with, and will do my best to fit you into my practice if you need a "tune-up" or want to come back for another stretch of work.

Fees

Insurance

Please inform me if you wish to utilize health insurance to pay for services. You should be aware that insurance plans generally limit coverage to certain diagnosable mental conditions. You should also be aware that you are responsible for verifying and understanding the limits of your insurance coverage. Although I am happy to assist your efforts to seek insurance reimbursement, I am unable to guarantee whether your insurance will provide payment for the services provided to you. While I do not currently accept insurance directly, I can provide you with a copy of your receipt on a monthly basis, which you can then submit to your insurance company for reimbursement, if you so choose.

Health Insurance & Confidentiality of Records

Disclosure of confidential information may be required by your health insurance carrier or HMO/PPO/MCO/EAP in order to process claims. If you instruct me, only the minimum necessary information will be communicated to the carrier. I have no control or knowledge over what insurance companies do with the information submitted or who has access to this information.