Provision of Counseling and Psychotherapy Services Agreement
This information is provided concerning my professional practice and business policies. Please read it carefully and raise any questions you may have with me, so that we can discuss them. By submitting payment for your first session, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these terms.
Services provided to the Client are strictly commercial, non-medical, and consultative in nature (pursuant to the Russian National Classifier of Economic Activities / RNCEA 86.90.9). They do not constitute medical treatment, healthcare provision, or psychiatric practice subject to mandatory medical licensing within the Russian Federation.
Any use of the term "psychotherapy" by the Practitioner in public domains or informational materials is strictly descriptive of the psychological methodologies applied (rooted in the international standards of Mental Health Counseling, USA). It does not imply or constitute clinical medical intervention as defined by the laws of the Russian Federation.
The Practitioner’s foundational qualification for operating within the legal framework of the Russian Federation is a higher education diploma in Clinical Psychology (2011).
The services provided expressly exclude the formulation of medical diagnoses, the prescription of pharmacological therapy, and emergency crisis intervention.
Individuals with a formally diagnosed psychiatric condition are accepted for psychological support strictly on the condition of concurrent and ongoing care under a licensed attending psychiatrist
In accordance with the requirements of the Federal Law on Advertising, the Practitioner expressly disclaims any guarantees regarding specific emotional or psychological outcomes, given the profoundly subjective nature of the counseling process and the individual characteristics of the Client.
The standard duration of an individual session is 50 (fifty) minutes, held once a week at a pre-approved time reserved specifically for the Client. Payment procedures and schedules are mutually established prior to the commencement of services.
Any prepayment made by the Client constitutes a security deposit (pursuant to Article 381.1 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation), guaranteeing the Client's obligation to attend the scheduled session. In the event of the Client's unilateral cancellation or rescheduling less than 48 (forty-eight) hours prior to the session, or in the event of a no-show without prior notice, the security deposit is strictly non-refundable. It shall be retained as a penalty for breach of the agreement (pursuant to Clause 2, Article 381.1 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation)with some exceptions, such as documented emergencies.
For online sessions, the Client bears sole responsibility for maintaining a stable technical connection and full physical and acoustic privacy.
The Client must be located in a stationary, enclosed space with zero third-party presence. Sessions cannot be conducted from open offices, public areas, or while operating a vehicle.
A continuous webcam and microphone connection is a functional necessity.
Failure to maintain these privacy and safety conditions renders the work impossible. In such cases, the session will be ended, constituting a material breach and resulting in a 100% forfeiture of the security deposit.
Communication outside of scheduled sessions is limited to administrative matters (scheduling, payment, technical setup) and is conducted during standard business hours.
Audio or video recording, as well as transcription of the sessions, is not permitted without prior mutual consent.
Unauthorized recording by the Client constitutes a material breach of this agreement, unlawful use of likeness (pursuant to Article 152.1 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation), and an infringement of the Practitioner’s intellectual property (Part 4 of the Civil Code). Conversely, any unauthorized recording by the Practitioner qualifies as a violation of the Client’s privacy (pursuant to Article 137 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
A breach of this confidentiality boundary results in the termination of services and forfeiture of the security deposit, with the affected party retaining the right to pursue legal remedies.
Confidentiality is a foundational premise of the counseling process. Privacy regarding the content of sessions and the fact of seeking services is protected by Article 23 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and is strictly maintained in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rules and the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics.
Disclosure of confidential information to state, medical, or law enforcement authorities without the Client's consent is legally and ethically mandated only in the following circumstances:
1) An imminent risk of serious harm to self (including suicide risk) necessitating emergency intervention;
2) An imminent threat of severe harm or intent to commit a severe crime against a specific third party (pursuant to Articles 105 and 111 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation);
3) Reasonable suspicion or disclosed facts of child abuse or neglect (pursuant to Article 56 of the Family Code and Article 156 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
Initiating the counseling process signifies the Client’s comprehensive understanding of these terms, the exceptions to confidentiality, and the established legal limits of civil liability for both parties
