Resilience with Direction
Confidentiality Policy
Your privacy, trust and psychological safety matter at Albatross Counselling and Wellbeing
Confidentiality is a central part of counselling work. It allows for open reflection, honest conversation and the development of psychological safety within the therapeutic space.
At Albatross Counselling and Wellbeing, all sessions are conducted with a clear commitment to protecting your privacy, while working within professional ethical standards and applicable legal requirements.
What confidentiality means
Information shared during counselling or wellness sessions is treated as private and is not disclosed to others without your knowledge or consent.
This includes:
-
Personal details shared during sessions
-
Session content, reflections and discussions
-
Information shared through intake forms or written communication
-
Administrative and scheduling records
The intention is to provide a space where you can speak freely, without concern that your personal information will be shared externally.
Confidentiality is not absolute. There are specific situations where disclosure may be necessary in order to ensure safety or comply with legal and ethical responsibilities.
These include:
Risk of Harm
If there is reason to believe that you may be at risk of harming yourself or someone else, appropriate steps may be taken to ensure safety. This may involve contacting a relevant person, emergency service or authority.
Abuse or Neglect
If there is disclosure or reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect involving a child, elderly individual or vulnerable person, appropriate action may be taken in line with ethical responsibilities.
Legal Requirements
If information is required by law, including through a court order or legal process, disclosure may be necessary.
Professional Consultation
To maintain quality of care, aspects of the work may be discussed in professional consultation or supervision. This is done without revealing identifying details wherever possible.
Couples Counselling and Joint Sessions
In couples counselling or joint sessions, confidentiality is understood within the context of the relationship rather than at an individual level.
To maintain clarity, fairness and effectiveness within the process, individual disclosures that significantly impact the relationship or the direction of the work may need to be brought into the joint sessions.
This approach helps ensure that the work remains balanced, transparent and aligned with the goals of both partners. Wherever possible, such disclosures will be discussed with you before being brought into the shared space.
In all such situations, disclosure is limited to what is necessary and where appropriate, will be discussed with you beforehand.
Limits of confidentiality
Online Sessions and data privacy
Sessions are conducted online using secure platforms. While reasonable steps are taken to maintain confidentiality, no online system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Clients are responsible for:
-
Attending sessions from a private and uninterrupted space
-
Using a secure internet connection
-
Not recording sessions without prior written agreement
Session notes, where maintained, are stored securely and accessed only for professional purposes.
Communication outside sessions is limited to scheduling, coordination and brief administrative clarification.
Sensitive or personal concerns are best addressed within sessions.
Communication outside sessions
your rights
You have the right to:
-
Ask questions about confidentiality at any stage
-
Seek clarification on how your information is handled
-
Be informed, where possible, if confidentiality needs to be limited
Confidentiality is both a professional responsibility and a foundational part of the work. It allows the space to remain steady, respectful and safe enough for meaningful reflection.