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Confidentiality and Privacy Policy

CONFIDENTIALITY
The law protects the relationship between a client and a psychotherapist, and information cannot be disclosed without written permission.

Exceptions include:

  • Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse, for which I am required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.
  • If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person(s), I must notify the police and inform the intended victim.
  • If a client intends to harm himself or herself, I will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in insuring their safety.  If they do not cooperate, I will take further measures without their permission that are provided to me by law in order to ensure their safety.
 
PRIVACY
I am committed to protecting your privacy.  Your contact and participation with Dr. Teriza Mekhail-Andreou is totally voluntary, and all information about you and your contact at Progress to Wellness Counseling is private and confidential.  None of your information will be released outside of Progress to Wellness Counseling, with the exception of circumstances listed in the client confidentiality section above.
 
 
COMMUNICATING OVER THE INTERNET
Important!  Please do not use the Internet (e-mail or the Web, including the online "Appointment Request" and "Contact" forms on my website) to send confidential medical or mental health information.  I strongly discourage using unsecure (unencrypted) e-mail or online forms to send messages of confidential nature.  Unsecure e-mail and online forms can be read in transit by people other than the intended recipient.  Sending unsecure e-mail or information over the Internet is like mailing a letter in an unsealed envelope; most information you send is probably safe, but an unscrupulous person could read your message, change it, or even impersonate you.  Information transmitted over the Internet (such as e-mail and online form data) is copied, archived, and retransmitted continuously as part of normal processing.  Because of this, please use e-mail and online forms only to request information about my services, to request or reschedule appointments, or for other non- medical/mental health confidential matters.
There are several ways you can communicate with me without having to send confidential information over the Internet:

  • In-person.
  • By telephone.
  • By fax.
  • By mail (postal or courier service).



Progress to Wellness ® Counseling does not provide emergency services. If you are having thoughts about hurting yourself or others, seek immediate help by calling 911.

Dr. Teriza Mekhail-Andreou is a licensed professional in California (MFC 46944)