NeuroStory Collective is a subsidiary of Kansted Psychoeducation, a Danish registered company (https://datacvr.virk.dk/enhed/virksomhed/43444182?fritekst=43444182&sideIndex=0&size=10), the contract is therefore between the user/client (you) and Kansted Psychoeducation (henceforth, KP) (me, Teri Kansted Smith as founder and sole proprietor)
KP is a psychoeducational practice that offers therapeutic coaching, mentoring and training based and registered in Denmark. It is thus governed by Danish law despite a global client base.
Terese (Teri) Kansted Smith is the founder of Kansted Psychoeducation. Teri Kansted holds a BSc and MSc in Psychology (2013 + 2019 University of Stirling), a PGDip in Counselling (2017 Abertay University) and a Diploma in Transformational Coaching (2018 Animas Centre for Coaching) and started offering 1-2-1 therapy in 2015. Psychoeducational, therapeutic coaching and mentoring refers to the way KP conducts sessions:
Confidentiality and Records
Confidentiality is the foundation of a good and safe therapeutic relationship. Please understand and acknowledge that working with me means adhering to Danish law.
Confidentiality refers to… your right to privacy. This includes keeping your identity, information, and data safe and confidential. This includes identifying markers (for example, name, workplace, address, associations), your information (shared thoughts, feelings, behaviours, experiences and behaviours) and your data (e-mail address and phone number). Confidentiality will only be broken if there are concerns about the risk of harm to yourself or others. Note that confidentiality does not mean secrecy. Exact details of this are given in the small print further down.
Note keeping… N refers to the notes Teri takes during and/or after a session. As this is a contract with a therapist in private practice, client’s notes will not be accessible to anyone else outside of this private practice. Notes are kept at a minimal and only keyword are used and a client’s notes are never about Teri’s opinion on something or someone. A client always has the right to see what notes are being kept on them. More about this under ‘small print’ further down.
Ethics are… guiding principles that keep the practitioner, the client, and anyone impacted by the client, such as children or vulnerable adults, safe. As doctors, therapists subscribe to the notion ‘do no harm’ and follow specific professional, ethical frameworks to ensure best practice. KP’s ethics are covered further down in the ‘small print’.
Data storage means… your personal and identifying data (the client’s name, personal details shared, notes, e-mail address and other identifying data). A client’s data will be kept safe and under ‘lock and key’ on a password-protected device and software system. The client always has the right to see what KP holds on them and request that any data be deleted, though this might change or hinder the working relationship, depending on the request. Once KP and the client have completed their work together, identifying data will be stored for 90 days or kept on file for as long as the client desires (as agreed verbally or via written communication). However, per Danish tax laws, payment details (including the payee’s name), client code, and session dates will be stored for 5 years. More details about GDPR (the European ‘General Data Protection Regulation’ law) is also in the ‘small print’.
KP’s Expectations of a Client:
Session Structure:
Cancellation:
Online Sessions
The Boring, Legal Small-PrintConfidentiality limitations:
Serious crimes: KP reserves the right to break confidentiality if the client admits to having committed a ‘serious crime’ which includes murder, manslaughter, rape, treason, kidnapping, robbery and other cases where individuals have suffered severe harm.
Third-party: The above limitations include an admission of knowledge to a third party having committed a serious crime, child protection issues or harm to a vulnerable adult.
Other limitations: Whereas KP is not obliged by law to break confidentiality if a client shares information about certain illegal activities, bearing in mind the exceptions made clear in the above sections, KP reserves the right to break confidentiality without consulting the client first if the client engages in activities that can harm KP is a business, such as using fraudulent money to pay the fees, or have otherwise done something that put KP’s finances at risk or in harm’s way or otherwise could harm KP as a business. KP will discuss breaching confidentiality with the client beforehand, when possible and/or appropriate. It’s important to note that KP’s primary care and responsibility is towards the client’s wellbeing, and great consideration will be taken before breaching confidentiality. Suppose a client is concerned about whether a part of their story will lead to KP needing to breach confidentiality. In that case, this can be discussed ‘hypothetically’ with KP in the first instance and will not be noted as a ‘fact’ or ‘truth’ and, therefore, cannot be reported any further. However, KP reserves the right to inform the client, upon sharing a ‘hypothetical’ story that would lead to KP feeling the need to break confidentiality, that KP does not think they are appropriate for this client. This is due to the importance of a client feeling able to discuss their life freely and safely. It would be inappropriate and unhelpful for the client to continue seeing a professional who could not contain the information shared in the session. A court may demand disclosure or order any psychologist or psychotherapist to attend court and hand over/bring notes and records with them. Refusal to answer the questions of the court may constitute contempt of the court. A practitioner may be asked to produce a report for court relating to work with a client. Consent should be obtained directly from the client wherever possible and in writing. Clients may ask to see the reports written about them, and per the legislations of Human Rights, Data Protection, and the Freedom of Information Act, clients should have access to their reports in the same way as their personal records unless there is a convincing reason not to do so, based on the client’s best interest or that of the public. Family courts dealing with child protection cases have different rules of evidence from other civil and criminal courts. They may order the production of documents, including personal medical reports, which would otherwise have been protected from disclosure. Please read the section about notes. Confidentiality can be broken by a client’s written request, for example, for KP to contact their doctor, mental health teams or other relevant services directly. This is at the discretion of KP and will be done in cooperation with the client and with their full knowledge and access to what’s written and shared. KP reserves the right to share information about a client's case (i.e. information about what is being discussed, themes and concepts but not names or identifying markers like addresses, workplace, geographical location or any other such information) with her supervisor and in peer-support groups (both of which are also guarded by strict codes of confidentiality). This ensures the client’s safety and that KP is working ethically. It’s KP’s supervisor’s job to establish if the work KP is doing is appropriate and correct, and they will need KP to share details about what is discussed to achieve this. This also helps KP, as a service, to ensure best practice, grow, learn and get help if feeling unsure or stuck with a specific client case.
Note Keeping:
a) A few simple notes are kept between sessions, highlighting the focus of sessions and anything agreed to be explored in the next session or any tasks e-mailed to the client to reflect on
b) Notes are kept separate from the contract, and notes do not contain any names or identifying details, such as workplace names, partner’s, children’s or family names or addresses, e-mail addresses or phone numbers, etc
c) If KP were to receive a court order relating to a client to release notes, these notes will, for this very reason, not contain any incriminating details or any beneficial information
d) In the case of the unexpected death of KP’s founder and sole therapist, steps have been put in place to ensure that all client information is destroyed without anyone gaining access to this information
e) The client reserves the right to gain access to their notes at any given time, by written request and allowing seven days of processing. The client reserves the right to withdraw consent to any information being held about them, though this will lead to the termination of the working relationship
f) Clients’ notes, e-mail addresses and e-mails are deleted 90 days after the professional relationship has ended or kept on file for as long as agreed with the client
g) Client’s initials, payment details (bank name and payee’s name) and session dates will be kept on file for 5 years for tax purposes only
h) If no agreement is reached about ending the professional relationship, for example, if the client stops attending and does not get in touch, the notes and information (including e-mail and other electronic message exchanges and details) will be deleted within 90 days of no contact
Confidentiality Besides what’s already been covered in this contract about confidentiality, it’s important to understand that confidentiality does not mean secrecy. What’s meant by this:
Sign-posting: If KP identifies that the client is best served by being referred to another therapist, this shall be discussed in session. KP reserves the right to terminate sessions and refer on, as best possible, if the client's case proves beyond the competence and skillset of lead therapist, Teri Kansted, for the sake of the client’s wellbeing and to maintain a high ethical standard. Following GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) within the EU the following is taken into consideration: By signing the ‘contract’ the client gives Kansted Psychoeducation and its owner, Terese (Teri) Kansted Smith, permission to store personal, identifying information privately and confidentially until such a time that their professional relationship is over (adhering to the above-stated 90 days and 5-year rules). If the client has contacted KP on social media, via KP’s websites or e-mail, the client has given indirect consent for KP to have access to some of their personal information, such as their IP address, social media username, e-mail address, and/or phone/mobile number. The client agrees that KP can store all personal identifying information, such as the contract, session notes, e-mail exchanges and any worksheets that have been shared, safely and confidentially, as covered in the above contract and that only KP’s founder Terese (Teri) Kansted Smith has access, and knowledge of passwords, to access this information. The client understands that KP will only be using their personal information for therapeutic and administrative purposes and only for as long as there is an ongoing professional relationship in place. The client understands that KP will not sell any information to any third parties or contact the client directly at a later point for marketing purposes – unless specific consent for this has been given (such as signing up for KP’s newsletter or other marketing e-mails outside of this contract). It is agreed that KP will delete all the client’s information 90 days after their professional relationship has ended, including phone number, e-mail address, and any correspondence from KP’s e-mail account, as well as all personal identifying information stored as hard copies or on KP’s electronic devices – unless consent has been given otherwise, and unless the client requests in writing to have their details deleted sooner than 90 days. The client’s code, session dates and payment details (including the payee’s name) will be stored for 5 years per Danish tax laws. Finally, the client understands that they can withdraw consent at any point and/or ask to see any information KP holds on the client.