‘Our Privacy and Client Services Agreement’:

Our Commitment to Keeping Your Information Secure

Practitioner: Professional name Lette Jewell (They/Them)his document explains how we protect your information, how our sessions work, and what we each agree to. It is mutual. It protects your rights as the client. It also protects the rights, safety, privacy, cultural sovereignty and professional integrity of the practitioner.

Please read it carefully. Ask us anything before you sign.

1. Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Connected Minds Therapies (CMT) is committed to care that honours privacy, dignity, cultural safety and confidentiality. We are grounded in tikanga Māori and trauma-informed practice.

We comply with:

• Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)

• Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)

• Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), including the Health Privacy Principles

• Professional ethical frameworks, including those of the Australian Counselling Association

• Trauma-informed and culturally attuned care standards

We collect your information only to support your wellbeing and to provide safe, effective psychotherapy and counselling.

2. Information We Collect

We collect only what is relevant to your care.

Please note:

• Contact and personal details

• Health or medical history relevant to treatment

• Referral information (with your consent)

• Session notes, observations and treatment planning

• Information you choose to share during therapy

• Funding details, if you are an NDIS client (such as plan type and plan manager)

You may decline to provide information. This may limit the support we can offer.

3. How We Use Your Information

Please note:

• Providing in-person and telehealth psychotherapy and counselling

• Forming treatment plans

• Coordinating care with other professionals (only with your written consent)

• Professional supervision (de-identified unless we agree otherwise)

• Optional AI transcription and note support, only with your written consent (see Section 9)

• Billing, invoicing and NDIS reporting

• Meeting legal, regulatory and ethical requirements

We never use your information for marketing, teaching, research or creative projects without your explicit consent.

4. Creative-Use Prohibition

Your story belongs to you.

The practitioner will never use your lived experience or therapeutic content in:

• Books or manuscripts

• Fiction or non-fiction writing

• Artwork or creative projects

• Public speaking or training

• Podcasts, blogs, social media or online content

• Case studies or teaching materials

This applies even if identifying details are changed. No part of your therapeutic content may be used for creative, personal or financial gain.

Exceptions need:

• Your explicit, voluntary, written informed consent, and

• Your ongoing right to withdraw that consent at any time

This protection stands in perpetuity. It also protects the practitioner from any claim of misuse.

5. Therapist Privacy and Cultural Boundaries

Including Indigenous and Māori considerations

Clients hold a right to privacy. So does the practitioner.

As a Māori practitioner, Lette recognises elements of whakapapa, Wairau, tikanga, story and identity as tapu. They are not for public or client use.

Please note: clients agree to:

• Respect the practitioner’s cultural, professional and personal boundaries

• Not seek, record, reproduce or share personal or cultural information about the practitioner

• Not use the practitioner’s heritage, identity or likeness in any personal or creative context

• Not record sessions without explicit written consent

These boundaries protect the safety, dignity and cultural integrity of both client and practitioner.

6. Confidentiality and when information must be shared

Everything you share is confidential. The exceptions are where disclosure is legally required or necessary to keep someone safe.

Mandatory requirements are the following:

• Serious or imminent risk of harm to you or others

• Child safety concerns and mandatory reporting

• A subpoena, court order or other lawful request

• Where disclosure is needed to prevent a significant threat to life or health

Where possible, we will talk with you before we disclose anything. Your information is may have deidentifying information if shared for creative, academic or creative use.

7. Storage, Security and Data Breaches

Your records are held in encrypted systems such as Cliniko, and/or locked physical files. Access is limited to authorised practitioners bound by strict confidentiality.

We take all reasonable steps to protect your information from loss, misuse or unauthorised access.

If a data breach is likely to cause you serious harm, we will tell you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as the law requires.

Please note:

• Some secure platforms store data on overseas servers. We choose providers with strong security standards.

• Telehealth sessions use secure, private links. Please join from a private space.

• We keep records for the period required by Victorian law, then securely destroy them.

8. Access to Your Records

You may ask for access to your personal information at any time. Please make the request in writing. A small administrative fee may apply.

Please note: access may be limited only when:

• It may pose a safety risk to you or others

• It would breach another person’s privacy

• It relates to legal proceedings

• The request is unlawful or vexatious

If access is declined, you will receive a written explanation.

You may also ask us to correct information that is wrong or out of date.

9. Recording of Sessions and Use of AI Tools

9.1 Recording

Sessions may only be audio or video recorded with your explicit written consent.

Recordings are used only for:

• Clinical supervision

• Professional development

Clients may not record sessions without written permission. This includes using AI tools,

9.3 Withdrawing Consent

You may withdraw consent for recording or AI tools at any time, by telling us in session or by email.

10. Our Service Agreement

10.1 Online Sessions

• Booking: by online only Access: we email your session link beforehand.

10.2 Changes and Cancellations

To respect our practitioners’ time and room costs, we use a 4-day (96-hour) notice policy.

Please note:

• Standard rule: cancellations or reschedules within 4 days incur the full session fee.

• Practitioner breaks and public holidays: sessions requested during these times are billed as a regular session.

10.3 Payment

Payment is required before all first appointments. This helps us keep offering quality care while covering the costs of running a small practice.

Please note:

• NDIS clients: this does not apply. We send invoices to your Plan Manager or your Self-Managed Plan, based on the agreed service agreement.

• Invoices will reflect the maximum costs and maximum sessions set in that agreement.

10.4 Session Length

To keep things fair for all clients, sessions that run beyond the scheduled time incur an additional fee.

10.5 Contacting Us

Please note:

• How: text 0452 064 983 or email hello@lettejewellpsychotherapy.com.au.

• Response time: we are a small team. We generally reply within 2 to 3 business days.

• Messages are for therapy-related matters only: appointment reminders, invoicing and essential follow-up.

• Your details will not be used for marketing without your written consent.

• This is not a crisis line. See Section 13.

11. Client Responsibility, Safety and Indemnity

11.1 Responsibility for Your Own Body and Health

By engaging with CMT, you agree that:

• You remain responsible for your own body, wellbeing and safety.

• Therapy does not replace medical treatment or emergency care.

• You will manage your physical and emotional responses before, during and after sessions.

• CMT and Lette Jewell accept no responsibility for medical or physical outcomes or adverse reactions, except where the law requires otherwise.

You must seek medical or psychiatric support for new or worsening symptoms, medication queries, or health changes that affect your participation.

11.2 Services We Do Not Provide

CMT does not provide:

• Medical treatment

• Psychiatric diagnosis

• Crisis intervention

• Emergency services

You agree to keep your own medical and mental health care in place.

11.3 Duty to Disclose Relevant Health Information

Please tell us about any:

• Physical or neurological conditions

• Changes in mental health diagnoses

• Medication changes

• Safety risks affecting your wellbeing or the therapy

This supports safe practice. It does not transfer responsibility to the practitioner.

11.4 No Guarantees of Outcome

Outcomes differ for everyone. CMT cannot guarantee results in:

• Emotional changes

• Symptom reduction

• Behavioural change

• Relationship improvements

• Long-term effects

11.5 Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, including Victorian law and the Australian Consumer Law:

• CMT and Lette Jewell are not liable for indirect or consequential harm arising from your participation in therapy.

• Your participation is voluntary.

• Nothing in this agreement excludes rights you hold that cannot lawfully be excluded, including consumer guarantees that services be provided with due care and skill.

11.6 Indemnity

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify CMT and Lette Jewell against claims, losses or costs arising from:

• Your chosen actions during or after therapy

• Failure to maintain appropriate healthcare

• Omissions or inaccuracies in the information you give us

This does not apply to loss caused by the practitioner’s own negligence or breach of professional duty.

12. Risks of Therapy

Therapy can bring up difficult emotions or memories. You may ask for breaks, grounding, slower pacing or changes at any time.

We will support you with care, respect and cultural sensitivity.

13. Crisis Support

CMT is not a crisis service. If you are unsafe or at risk, please contact:

• Emergency services: 000

• Lifeline: 13 11 14

• Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

• 13YARN (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support): 13 92 76

• Aotearoa New Zealand: call or text 1737 for free mental health support

• Your nearest hospital or GP

14. Client Conduct (In Person or Online)

Clients agree not to behave in ways that are:

• Abusive, threatening or discriminatory

• Harmful to the therapeutic process

• Unlawful

• Involving recording or sharing session content without permission

CMT may pause, decline or end services if safety or ethical boundaries are crossed.

15. Intellectual Property

All intellectual property created by Lette Jewell remains hers. This includes:

• Therapeutic methods

• Written materials

• Cultural knowledge

• Session tools and processes

Clients may not copy, reproduce, share or change these materials without consent.

Client stories are never used publicly.

16. Questions, Concerns and Complaints

We welcome feedback. Please raise concerns with us first, by email or in session.

Please note: you may also contact:

• Health Complaints Commissioner (Victoria)

• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (privacy)

• Australian Counselling Association (professional conduct)

• NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS clients)

17. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy. We will share the current version with you and note the date of change. Continuing therapy after an update means you accept the new version.

18. Consent to Engage in Services

This agreement is held in your client records.