Question 1

Before the First Appointment

Accepted Answer

Once an appointment has been scheduled, I will email you a confirmation, details about my office, as well as a Personal Details Record form for you to complete online before your first appointment. This paperwork covers basic information that I will need from you and informed consent allowing us to work together.

Question 2

The First Session

Accepted Answer

In the first session we will spend few minutes together reviewing your paperwork, and clarifying practical concerns such as payment, confidentiality, and cancellations. Then we will look at your goals, the challenges you are facing, and determine the outcome you would like to see as a result of our work together. We will also uncover any hidden problems that may be sabotaging your desired results. Then we determine the key elements that might be influencing the issue and create together an action plan to which you might, but are no obliged to agree. This first meeting will allow us the opportunity to get to know one another better and determine whether working together feels like a "good fit."

Question 3

Subsequent Appointments

Accepted Answer

If we decide to work together, it will be important for you to commit to at least 4 appointments to set the foundation of our work. We will choose a consistent time each week which will allow for a feeling of safety and trust. Appointments are 60 or 90 minutes once every or every second week depending on your specific needs.

Question 4

Length of counseling

Accepted Answer

There is no hard rule here. The total number of sessions depends very much on your personal circumstances and on the type of problem, the severity of the problem, your motivation, and level of change desired. Because each person arrives with a different situation and has different goals, treatment will be different depending on the individual. Taking account of your specific needs, it can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term if you desire personal development and change on a deeper level.  Some challenges can be worked on very effectively in a fairly short period of time. Other challenges may take much longer.

Question 5

Cancellation policy

Accepted Answer

Please note that I have a 24-hour cancellation policy which means I have to charge for the session if you cancel later than 24 hours prior to the appointment.

Question 6

Coverage by the insurance

Accepted Answer

Clients are always responsible for payment directly to me, however, you may be eligible for reimbursement through your health insurance. International health insurances will generally cover the costs of therapy following the referral from your general practitioner and evaluation report. Given that I am a member of the RBCZ and the ABvC, most Dutch health insurances will offer some reimbursement for sessions, depending on your health insurance package. Some Dutch health insurance policies may recognize counseling under the category of “alternatieve geneeswijzen behandeling” or “psychosociale hulpverlening”.  I highly recommend that you check with your insurance company how many hours per year and the extend to which these costs are covered.
On this link you can see which insurances might be covering some of the cost:
https://www.zorgwijzer.nl/vergoeding/counseling
(please copy the link in your browser)

Question 7

Confidentiality

Accepted Answer

Change requires courage and I commend your efforts to commence the process. Successful treatment requires a high degree of trust with highly sensitive subject matter that is usually not discussed anywhere but during our sessions. Thus, all therapy services are strictly confidential and may not be revealed to anyone without your written permission. Confidentiality is assured even when the sessions are paid for by a third party. My profession requires regular supervision or intervision with colleagues, who also have a legal duty of confidentiality, during which we might be sharing anonymized information.
I keep records, noting that you have been here, what interventions happened in session, and the topics we discussed. I am keeping your personal information password-protected and/or in a locked cabinet.
For more detailed information check my Privacy policy.

Question 8

Online security

Accepted Answer

ZOOM and Teams are fully encrypted and if you use them on a private secure Wi-Fi network it is fully secure. Please note that public Wi-Fi network it is not fully secure.
Please be aware that email is not completely confidential. All emails are retained in the logs of your or my internet service provider. While under normal circumstances no one looks at these logs, they are, in theory, available to be read by the system administrator(s) of the internet service provider.
For more detailed information check my Privacy policy.

Question 9

Complaint procedure

Accepted Answer

If you're unhappy with what's happening in therapy, I hope you'll talk about it with me so that I can respond to your concerns. I will take such criticism seriously, and with care and respect. If you want to file a formal complaint you might do so via: https://klachtenportaalzorg.nl/klachtenportaal-zorg/klachtenprocedure/
You are also free to discuss your complaints about me with anyone you wish, and do not have any responsibility to maintain confidentiality about what I do that you don't like, since you are the person who has the right to decide what you want to kept confidential.
 
As part of my professional associations, there is a clear and defined process to follow to make a formal complaint. For making a complaint in the Netherlands please check out SCAG complaints procedure https://www.scag.nl/diensten/klachtenreglement/

Ivana Kontra

Psychologist