Therapeutic orientation
My psychotherapeutic orientation is Schema Therapy. Schema Therapy is an evidence-based treatment approach that integrates relational interpersonal, process experiential, emotion focused and cognitive-behavioural approaches to psychotherapy. For more information about how Schema Therapy works please consult the website www.schematherapysouthafrica.co.za. You are also always welcome to ask me any questions you may have about the therapy as it progresses.
Therapy sessions
Venue for sessions
Sessions normally take place at the Newlands Therapy Centre, 25a Cedar Road in Newlands. By prior arrangement, I can make hospital, clinic or school visits (where these are allowed by the institution concerned). In such cases I charge for my travel time by the hour at the same hourly rate that you pay for the session.
I also offer therapy online via Zoom. You will be provided with the information you need on how to use Zoom if you have not used it before. There are additional security concerns if you have online consultations since internet communication is not completely secure. However, the likelihood of someone trying to eavesdrop on an appointment on Zoom is low. If you have concerns, please look at the security policy of Zoom. If you elect to have therapy over the internet, you are accepting the security limitations of the communication system used. I cannot be held responsible for any security breaches. A more significant risk if that the venue you use when meeting me online is not suitable. Please take care to choose a space that is private and where you are not going to be interrupted. Lack of privacy and interruptions significantly reduce the effectiveness of therapy.
Length of sessions
All individual, couple, parenting and family therapy sessions are between 50 and 60 minutes. Group therapy is between 75 and 90 min.
Time of sessions
Your session begins at the stated appointment time. So, if you have an appointment at 11h30 your appointment will run from 11h30 to 12h20. This is your time, and I will not normally keep you waiting except in very unusual circumstances. Even if you arrive late, your appointment will end at the end of the agreed time so that I am ready to start the next client’s appointment on time. Please take steps to ensure you arrive close to your appointment time. There is no waiting area at my office, and you will not be able to be seen earlier than the appointed time.
Cancellation policy
Where you cannot come at the usual time, you will be required to let me know at least 24 hours in advance, before I send the reminders on the previous day. I may be able to accommodate you at another time by arrangement, but options will be limited. Please note that changing your regular appointment time does impact on the therapeutic work we are able to. If you miss a session without cancelling 24 hours in advance will be charged at the full rate. These sessions are unlikely to be covered by your medical aid and will not be eligible for any discounts negotiated.
My annual leave
I take annual leave four times a year. I take one week after the first and third quarter, two weeks in the middle of the year and four weeks over December/January. The dates for my leave will be available to you on my website and at the end of the reminder emails I send. If you need additional support during times that I am on leave, please discuss this with me so that we can arrange alternative support during this time.
Phases of therapy
The assessment phase
Every therapy process commences with an extensive assessment of the presenting problem. The assessment phase usually lasts up to three sessions. Once I have completed the assessment, I will present feedback, including a diagnosis and treatment plan to the original referring person. If the assessment has indicated that I am not the best suited to treat the presenting problem, the feedback may include suggestions about who may be more suitable.
The treatment phase
Once we have agreed a therapeutic intervention, I normally see clients weekly at a set time for several weeks or months. This means that you will be offered an appointment time on a specific day at a specific time which will be kept for you until we formally end the therapy.
If you prefer to come less often (e.g. once every two weeks), you are welcome to discuss this with me. This is a particularly helpful option once you have made significant therapeutic progress, and want to develop increasing self-reliance without losing the gains made.
The end of therapy
You have the right to decide whether to continue with treatment and can choose to terminate at any time. However, termination of the therapy process should be a shared decision. It is best that we discuss your wishes to end therapy before you stop the treatment. This is a particularly helpful opportunity to speak about problems you are experiencing in the therapy process or the relationship with me. Discussion before ending therapy also allows for us to ensure a consolidation of gains you have made in the therapeutic process, reduce risk of relapse and plan for any additional support you may require after ending therapy.
Once we have ended your therapy you are always welcome to contact me again if you need additional support at another time. I always prioritise seeing an old client over taking on new clients, and I will be able to see you again if I have enough capacity at that time.
Confidentiality
What you talk about during the sessions is confidential. This means that I will not disclose it to another person without your permission.
Records of the therapy are kept in line with ethical guidelines outlined by the HPCSA. Records include audio recording and written notes of sessions. My written notes are kept in a locked filing cabinet and audio recordings are kept on my computer in password protected files.
Limits to confidentiality apply in the following exceptional circumstances:
• A court may issue an order that compels a psychologist to reveal to a court information disclosed in therapy, and, in some cases, in terms of Acts of Parliament, a psychologist may have a statutory duty to disclose confidential information.
• Where psychologists believe that a client is at risk for seriously harming themselves or another person or damaging property, they are ethically bound to act to prevent this and/or to protect third parties.
• Medical aid schemes require a diagnosis to be recorded on the invoice. This is done in the form of a numerical code from the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). The verbal form of the diagnosis (e.g. “Major Depression”, “Bulimia Nervosa”) does not appear on the invoice, but often does appear on an application for additional (PMB) benefits.
Professional situations that involve disclosure of your personal information
• Supervision: I routinely discuss some of the content of assessments and psychotherapy with trusted colleagues. This is normal clinical practice. Psychologists need to discuss their work with other psychologists to maintain professional standards, to maintain a balanced perspective, to improve their understanding, and to solve problems more effectively. This is done in the strictest confidence and with discretion without sharing identifying details of clients. On occasion I might share the audio recordings of sessions with my supervisor. My accreditation as a schema therapist also involves the evaluation of some of my sessions with International Association of Schema Therapists by means of these audio recordings.
• Training: I am involved in the training of psychologists, and I sometimes use case material or sections of voice recordings from my practice to illustrate aspects of psychotherapy without any identifying details. This occurs under strictly professional conditions in that the psychologists or trainee psychologists understand that such material must be treated as strictly confidential and limited personal information is provided about clients that might enable them to be identified.
Rights of minors
The Children’s Act sets out the rights of minors (children and adolescents). It specifies that no parent may unreasonably withhold consent for the treatment of a child, and that children are able to give informed consent themselves from the age of 12. In terms of this Act, it is the duty of professionals to take decisions which they believe to be in the best interests of the child. In terms of the act, when treating a minor, I can inform parents or guardians about her/his therapeutic progress but will not normally disclose information about the content of sessions without the child/adolescent’s consent.
Reports and letters
Report writing is not part of my therapeutic services. I do not compile written reports for any reason. Feedback about an assessment or progress of a therapeutic process will always be given to the client or parents of a child client orally in a scheduled session and charged for at the usual rates. Letters to confirm attendance in therapy, in support of sick leave or in support of a concession, for example at an academic institution or forms to access specific benefits from a medical aid (eg a PMB application) will only be written with the explicit consent of my clients. These letters and forms are completed in session time or billed according to medical aid rates. In most cases, these letters or forms will be given to the client to give to the person needing it so that confidentiality is not breached without explicit consent.
CONTACT US
Newlands Therapy Centre
info@newlandstherapycentre.co.za
082 872 0192
Jean Luyt Clinical Psychologist
jean.luyt@newlandstherapycentre.co.za
https://www.facebook.com/jeanluytclinicalpsychologist
