GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS of Practice Neela Paulussen
The following general terms and conditions and rules apply to all forms of counseling provided by me, Neela Paulussen. Below you can read about the practical arrangements that apply, what the therapy offered does and does not entail, how your personal information is handled in a therapy file, professional confidentiality, and the complaints procedure.
CARE AND PRIVACY
I will treat your personal and medical/psychological data with care and ensure that unauthorized persons do not have access to this data. In doing so, I comply with the Medical Treatment Agreement Act (WGBO) and the guidelines of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You can find more information in the practice’s privacy statement, which you can read below.
THE PROCESS
- The first session is an introductory meeting. Its purpose is to clarify what you want for yourself, what kind of support you’d like from me, whether I think my approach is a good fit for your needs, and whether there’s a connection in the way we interact.
- You’ll fill out a digital intake questionnaire before or after the introductory meeting.
- The session following the introductory meeting is an intake session. Sometimes I’ll decide to conduct an extended intake, which will take 2 to 3 sessions.
- During the intake, I will formulate the best possible description of your request for help at that time.
- The frequency and duration of the therapy and the use of techniques will be tailored to your personal situation and wishes. Progress will be evaluated regularly together.
- The agreement will end when it is mutually agreed that no further sessions are necessary / you yourself indicate that you wish to stop the sessions / when it becomes clear during the sessions that the request for help requires more than I can offer.
- I may terminate the agreement on the basis of compelling reasons. These include (amongst others): if I believe that I can not or no longer provide the necessary guidance / aggression towards me / frequent non-payment / failure to cooperate with the treatment.
- You are responsible for ensuring that all information that I indicate is necessary for the guidance is provided to me in a timely and truthful manner.
THE FORM OF THERAPY
- The form of therapy is exploratory and opening, which may initially exacerbate medical or psychological symptoms.
- During sessions, physical contact may take place, based on consent. I will always treat your physical, personal, mental, religious, and political boundaries with respect. You can set your own boundaries in this regard. You can always say “no” or “stop” without giving a reason.
- I do not make DSM diagnoses. For a diagnostic process, please contact your general practitioner.
- I do not offer crisis care (24/7 accessibility and/or availability). If you experience or anticipate acute moments of crisis that you cannot resolve yourself and/or no longer have control over your behavior to guarantee your own safety or that of those under your care, you must ensure that you have a crisis plan in place involving your own network and/or appropriate authorities, like the general practitioner/family doctor, family doctor’s office / huisartsenpost (www.huisartsenpostenamsterdam.nl tel: 0880030600), crisis service of the local mental health care institution GGZ (Spoedeisende Psychiatrie Amsterdam www.spoedeisendepsychiatrieamsterdam.nl tel: 0205235433), suicide prevention service (tel: 0900-0113) or emergency services (tel: 112) are involved. I accept no liability for any consequences of not involving your own network and/or appropriate authorities in crisis situations (in a timely manner).
ME, THE THERAPIST
- I have a duty of care and will use all my professional skills to help you with your request for assistance. I do not have an obligation to achieve results. This means that you are ultimately responsible for the influences, effects, and consequences of the therapy, whether positive or negative.
- I have a duty of confidentiality. This can only be deviated from in the event of (a serious suspicion of) acute or structural insecurity for you and/or those under your care and where you yourself are unable to organize help or protection. In that case, I am required to comply with the Mandatory Reporting Code for Domestic Violence and Child Abuse. Should such a situation arise, I will inform you of my intention to report it.
THE THERAPY FILE
- In order to provide proper guidance, it is necessary for me, as a therapist, to create a file. This is also a legal obligation under the WGBO (Medical Treatment Agreement Act). In addition, I adhere to the requirements and conditions for professional practice set by the professional organizations VIT and RBCZ.
- The file contains personal data, notes about your situation, and information about the counseling process.
- I am the only person who has access to the data in that file.
- The data from your file may also be used:
- to inform other healthcare providers, e.g., when therapy has been completed or when referring you to another practitioner. This will only happen with your explicit consent.
- for use in case of substitution during an (unplanned) absence on my part.
- for anonymized use during peer review.
- You have the right to view your file. If you wish to exercise this right, a session will be scheduled for this purpose.
- If you, your general practitioner, or another practitioner require a written report of the treatment process, an invoice will be sent to you. This invoice will cover a maximum of one hour of work at the hourly rate agreed in the agreement.
- I am required to keep your file for 20 years. This may be deviated from by destroying the file at a written request by you.
PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS
- I work with different fees. These depend on your individual financial situation, the duration of a session, and whether it is a private or business rate. If parents or other family members pay for the sessions, a session rate will apply that is appropriate to the financial situation of the person(s) paying.
- You will receive the invoice by email after the session. This can be forwarded to your health insurer (if you have supplementary insurance that reimburses the costs). The session fee is paid in cash at the end of the session or by bank transfer within 14 days after the session.
- Canceling an appointment is free of charge up to 24 hours before the start of the session, after which I will charge the full amount. The time of the email or phone call sent is considered the time of cancellation.
- In case of illness or unexpected circumstances, I will inform you as soon as possible. At the same time, I will give you the opportunity to make a new appointment.
- If the invoice has not been paid within 14 days of sending the payment reminder, I have the right to take collection measures. The costs of the collection measures will be at your expense. In the event of late payment, I have the right to stop further counseling until you have fulfilled your payment obligations. The damage to the counseling process caused by non-payment should be limited as much as possible by you and me. If payment is not made within thirty days of the session date, you will be in default and I may charge 1% interest per month without further explanation.
- If you would like to contact me between sessions by email or telephone during office hours, this is possible. If this takes longer than 15 minutes, the session rate will be charged pro rata.
- If written reports are sent to third parties upon request, this will be charged at an individual or business fee.
- I reserve the right to adjust fees.
NEELA PAULUSSEN’S PRACTICE IS NOT LIABLE FOR
- any damage, whether psychological, physical, or material, that falls outside the coverage of the applicable professional liability insurance.
- any adverse consequences arising from incorrect or incomplete information provided by the client, such as information contained in the GP’s medical file or other important information.
- damage caused to property by parking on or entering the premises at Banstraat 29, 1071 JW AMSTERDAM, nor for any other damage caused by entering the practice, the hall, or using the toilet.
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
If you are dissatisfied with the way I am providing you with support, I would appreciate it if you would discuss this with me first. In the unlikely event that we are unable to resolve the issue together, it is possible to involve an independent complaints officer. This person can offer support in formulating the complaint or addressing your dissatisfaction and will help in finding solutions. The therapist has the right to be informed of this. Here you can read about what other steps are available.
Under the Wkkgz, the practice is affiliated with the S.C.A.G. dispute resolution body and falls under the independent disciplinary jurisdiction of the RBCZ (TCZ).