Privacy and Confidentiality
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Your privacy is important to me. I am committed to protecting your personal information in compliance with Quebec's Law 25 (Act modernizing legislative provisions relating to the protection of personal information, LQ 2021, c 250) and the guidelines issued by the Government of Quebec (Modernization of the protection of personal information).
Collection and Use of Your Personal Information
As a psychologist, I am required to collect information and to keep a file for each client that I see. This file includes your name, contact details, brief notes on the progress of our therapy sessions, and a brief evaluation report for my use in guiding your treatment. This data is used to manage appointments, communicate with you, handle invoicing and payments, fulfill professional and legal obligations, and to plan, adapt and track the progress of therapy to best meet your needs. I will keep your file in a secure location, that only I have access to.
Confidentiality
In accordance with the law and professional regulations, I will ensure that your file and everything you share in sessions is kept completely private unless you agree in writing that I share it with someone else, there is an imminent danger of severe harm or death to a person, a child is or is at risk of being abused, or if ordered by a judge. Your file will be kept for 5 years after the end of treatment. After this time, your file will be destroyed.
Online therapy
We may choose to conduct therapy in person at my office or online.
Online therapy is not new. It is practical, simple, and most importantly, it is effective! "Research studies, many of which are listed in bibliography format by the Telemental Health Institute, also indicate that telemental health is equivalent to face-to-face care in various settings and an acceptable alternative" (APA). The Ordre des psychologues du Québec approves of online therapy.
In order to conduct therapy online, we must use a virtual meeting platform to communicate with each other. I typically conduct online therapy via doxy.me. All data are encrypted, your sessions remain anonymous, and none of your information is stored. Doxy adheres to national and international data privacy requirements. Sessions are private and secure, and their platform is simple and easy to use.
Your personal preferences also matter to me. In addition to doxy.me, I offer you the choice to conduct online therapy via Skype, FaceTime, Google Meet, or WhatsApp. As I have no control over any of these virtual meeting platforms, I encourage you to familiarize yourself with your chosen platform's privacy terms.
Client Responsibilities
To enhance the security of online therapy sessions:
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Set yourself up in a place that no one can hear you, and that is free from interruptions or distractions
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Use a secure and private Wi-Fi connection
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Ensure your devices have updated security software
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Avoid public or shared networks when possible
Security Measures
To protect your data, I employ secure systems for storing and transmitting information, including encryption and limited access protocols. Your data will only be retained as long as necessary for therapeutic purposes or legal requirements.
I am the person responsible for the protection of personal data for my clients. My contact email is samantha@goldwater-adler.com
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