Consent for Treatment

1. Purpose of treatment

I understand that therapy, counselling, consultation and assessment at InnerWhispers aim to:

• Support my emotional and psychological wellbeing.
• Help me understand patterns, behaviours and concerns.
• Offer guidance, coping strategies and evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
• Provide psychiatric or psychological assessment and, where appropriate, diagnosis and treatment.

At the start of care, my professional and I will agree goals together and review them as we go.

2. Our services and who provides them

Services may include:

• Psychiatric consultation, including medicines where appropriate
• Psychological therapy
• Counselling
• Mental health assessments
• Lifestyle and wellbeing guidance

Care is provided by qualified psychiatrists, psychologists and counsellors, each working within their training and registration. I can ask about my professional's qualifications at any time. Peer supporters offer listening support from lived experience; peer support is not treatment, and this consent doesn't cover it.

Sessions take place online (Google Meet) or in person at our clinic, depending on my booking.

3. Benefits and risks

I understand that treatment can bring benefits, such as:

• Emotional clarity and reduced distress
• Better wellbeing and coping skills
• Improvements in relationships and daily life

I also understand there can be risks, such as:

• Temporary emotional discomfort, or feeling worse for a while before feeling better
• Talking about difficult or painful experiences
• Changes in relationships or in decisions I make

Therapy is a process that takes time and active participation, and results can't be guaranteed. If treatment isn't helping, my professional and I will talk about other options, including a referral elsewhere.

4. Medicines

• Only psychiatrists prescribe medicines at InnerWhispers. Psychologists and counsellors do not.
• Before prescribing, my psychiatrist will explain why a medicine is suggested, how it may help, possible side effects, how long to take it, and other options, including not taking medicine.
• I decide whether to accept a medicine. I will not stop or change a medicine without talking to my psychiatrist first.
• I will tell my psychiatrist about all medicines, supplements, alcohol or other substances I take, any allergies, and if I am pregnant or planning a pregnancy.
• Online prescribing follows India's Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, 2020. Some medicines can't be prescribed online, and some situations need an in-person visit.

5. Assessments

Assessments may include interviews, questionnaires, rating scales or short tasks. I understand that:

• A score supports my professional's judgement and isn't a diagnosis on its own.
• My professional will explain the results in plain language and what they mean for my care.
• Online self-checks I take on the website are screening tools only and don't form part of treatment unless I share them with my professional.

6. Confidentiality

What I share in sessions is confidential and is protected under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017. It stays within my care team, except when:

• There is a serious risk of harm to me or to someone else.
• There is a suspicion of abuse of a child or a vulnerable adult, which the law requires to be reported.
• A court order or the law requires it.
• I give my written consent, for example to share a report with another doctor.

To keep care safe and of high quality, my professional may discuss my care with a clinical supervisor or a colleague at InnerWhispers, sharing only what's needed and, where possible, without identifying me. Wherever possible, my professional will talk to me before sharing anything. More detail is in our Privacy Policy.

7. Online sessions

When attending online, I agree to:

• Join from a private, quiet place where I can't be overheard, using my own device.
• Use a stable internet connection, and keep a phone nearby in case the call drops.
• Confirm my identity and where I am at the start, so help can be arranged in an emergency.
• Not record, screenshot or share any part of a session. InnerWhispers does not record sessions either.

I understand that online care has limits. My professional may advise an in-person visit if it would be safer or more suitable. Sessions lost to internet problems on my side are not refundable.

8. In-person sessions

In-person sessions take place at:

I agree to follow the clinic's guidelines and to behave respectfully towards staff and other patients. I may bring a family member or friend for support if my professional agrees.

9. Payment and refunds

I acknowledge that:

• All bookings need online payment, and a booking is confirmed once payment succeeds.
• I can cancel or reschedule if 12 hours or more remain before my session.
• Payments are not refundable within 12 hours of the session, for no-shows, or when I join late.

The full rules are in our Refund Policy and Terms & Conditions.

10. Voluntary participation

• My participation is voluntary.
• I can ask questions, say no to any suggestion, pause or stop treatment at any time, and withdraw my consent.
• I can ask to change my professional, and InnerWhispers will help me move to someone suitable.
• If I stop treatment, my professional may suggest a final session to review progress and plan safely, but I don't have to attend.

11. Your rights

Under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 and other law, I have the right to:

• Be treated with dignity and respect, and without discrimination of any kind.
• Receive clear information about my condition, the treatment proposed, and its benefits, risks and alternatives, in a language I understand.
• Give or refuse consent to treatment, and to ask for a second opinion.
• Confidentiality, as set out in section 6.
• See my clinical records, except where my professional believes it could cause serious harm, in which case they will explain why.
• Name a representative to help with decisions about my care, and make an advance directive about how I want to be cared for.
• Raise a concern or complaint and have it handled fairly (see section 16).

12. Professional boundaries

I understand that my relationship with my professional is strictly professional. Contact happens through InnerWhispers channels and only about my care: no personal friendships, gifts, social media connections, or business or romantic relationships. Harassment or boundary violations, by anyone, may lead to services ending. If I ever feel a boundary has been crossed, I can raise it with InnerWhispers in confidence.

13. Notes and records

I consent to my professional keeping confidential notes and records of my sessions, assessments and treatment for my care, for record-keeping and to meet legal and professional requirements. Records are stored securely and kept for as long as the law and professional guidelines require (at least 3 years after my last session). I can ask to see them or to correct factual errors, as described in the Privacy Policy.

14. Communication

• I consent to receiving booking confirmations, reminders, session links and other essential messages about my care by email, SMS, phone or WhatsApp.
• Messages between sessions are for practical matters only. They aren't monitored around the clock and aren't for emergencies.
• I may be asked for an emergency contact. They would be contacted only if my safety is seriously at risk.
• Newsletters and other non-essential messages are sent only if I opt in.

15. Young people under 18

• A parent or legal guardian must give consent for anyone under 18, and their details are taken at booking.
• We also explain treatment to the young person in a way they understand and ask for their agreement.
• A parent or guardian may need to join some sessions. Young people are also given time to talk privately.
• We keep a young person's sessions as confidential as we safely can. A parent or guardian is involved when needed for safety, and the law requires us to report any suspected abuse of a child.

16. How you give consent

By booking a session, ticking the consent box, or continuing treatment, I confirm that:

• I have read and understood this Consent for Treatment, or had it explained to me.
• I understand the benefits, risks and conditions of treatment, and have been able to ask questions.
• I agree to receive mental health services from InnerWhispers on these terms.

Consent given online is as valid as a signed form. Consent is ongoing: my professional will check in when anything significant changes, such as a new medicine or a change in the kind of therapy, and I can withdraw it at any time by telling my professional or emailing us.