Clinic standards of clinical practice (Associate Handbook)

Audience: Associates
Goal: Clarify the minimum clinical-practice standards expected at Head & Heart Counselling (in addition to your own professional obligations).

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1) Your professional obligations come first

Please follow:

• The standards, ethics, and scope requirements of your regulatory college / professional association (e.g., BCACC, CCPA, etc.).
• All applicable laws and reporting requirements in your jurisdiction.

This page describes clinic minimum expectations (how we work here), not clinical/legal advice.

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2) Minimum standards at Head & Heart Counselling

Client wellbeing + informed consent

• Please prioritize client wellbeing and do no harm in all decisions.
• Please ensure clients have clear informed consent, including:
  • what therapy is (and is not)
  • fees and cancellation policy
  • confidentiality and its limits
  • how to reach you and what to expect between sessions (if anything)

See also:

• Required forms checklist (new clients)
• Client communication norms
• Late or missed session — immediate response

Scope, competence, and referral

• Please work within your competence and scope of practice.
• Please consult and/or refer when a client’s needs are outside your competence, scope, or capacity.

See also:

• Referral and transfer process
• Routine supervision / consultation

Professional boundaries + conflicts of interest

• Please maintain clear therapeutic boundaries and avoid conflicts of interest.
• Please avoid dual relationships that could reasonably impair clinical judgment or client safety.

See also:

• Communication boundaries policy
• Boundaries scripts
• BCACC standards of clinical practice (Standard 8)

Documentation (charting) standards

• Please chart in a way that is timely, clinically meaningful, and professionally defensible.
• Please document risk assessment and risk-related decisions clearly when relevant.

See also:

• Charting notes policy
• Charting standards
• Session structure — minimum standard

Safety, risk, and escalation

• Please escalate early when you are concerned about safety, ethics, boundaries, or risk.
• If there is an emergency unfolding, please call emergency services (911) as appropriate, then notify Katherine/admin as soon as it is safe.

See also:

• Safety checklist — what to do first
• Suicide assessment checklist
• Urgent concerns escalation pathway
• Non-urgent escalation pathway

Privacy + confidentiality in communication

• Please do not share confidential information in team channels (including Google Chat).
• Please avoid sending clinical details by text; please keep texts to scheduling/logistics only, unless there is a clear clinic-approved exception.

See also:

• Team communication channel
• Privacy Index

Billing and insurance language

• Please do not promise coverage or reimbursement.
• Please route billing and direct-billing questions to admin as required by clinic procedures.

See also:

• Billing clients — admin responsibilities
• Direct billing to insurance

When therapy ends

• Please follow clinic process when closing files / ending therapy so admin can send the final touchpoint and documentation stays complete.

See also:

• When therapy ends — notify admin