Atlas Counselling is committed to ensuring confidentiality. All reasonable attempts will be made by Atlas Counselling to keep all of your records, both electronic and hard copies, as well as information not committed to writing, private and confidential. Electronic records (should they exist) will be maintained under the use of encrypted passwords. Hard copy files (should they exist) will be kept under lock and key.
Atlas Counselling uses the Zoom video conferencing platform for online counselling sessions. Zoom is an industry accepted, encrypted platform considered more secure than current alternatives. This does not mean that it is immune to being compromised outside of the control of Atlas Counselling. You understand and accept that there are risks associated with data exchanged online that are outside of the reasonable control of Atlas Counselling and its counsellors.
You understand that Atlas Counselling will never sell or provide other people or organisations with any of your personal information in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 without your knowledge and signed consent.
Furthermore, Atlas Counselling and its counsellors, within the limits of confidentiality disclosed below, will not share information about you without your signed informed consent to do so. This includes identifying to anyone (person or otherwise) that you are, in any way, associated with Atlas Counselling, either past or present.
Mandatory Reporting Obligations
You understand that Atlas Counselling and its counsellors are mandatory reporters. As such Atlas Counselling and its counsellors are required by law to disclose to the relevant authorities in the case of the following:
- You are at immediate risk of harming yourself or others,
- A minor (person under the age of 18 years of age) is at risk of harm by you or by others.
- You disclose matters of a serious criminal nature, as determined by an Atlas Counselling counsellor.
- In the event that records are subpoenaed by a court of law, such records, should they exist, must be relinquished to the court.
- Atlas Counselling counsellors participate in routine Clinical Supervision during which cases are discussed as a means of helping to ensure that best practice is being utilised by your counsellor. In these cases, personally identifying information is not usually required to be disclosed and all reasonable efforts will be made to ensure your identity is protected.
- It may develop, that other situations as yet unknown, may dictate that confidentiality is broken.
In any of the circumstances mentioned above or otherwise, you understand that every effort will be made to discuss the situation with you beforehand, and where reasonable, will be done with your consent and co-operation, and if safe and appropriate, will be done with you.
You understand that, at all times, Atlas Counselling is bound by the federal laws of Australia and the laws of the state of New South Wales, Australia.
Emergency Contact List
Kids Help Line: 1800 55 1800
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Domestic Violence Crisis Line: 1800 65 64 63
Australian Emergency Services: 000
(Police, Fire, Ambulance)
For other options, please visit https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/mental-health-helplines