It’s been a terrifying few years for the US and Friday’s SCOTUS ruling, while expected, was still upsetting.

One of the many decisions to come out of SCOTUS was about Roe v Wade and how this will impact millions of Americans. This sets a precedent that will allow for even more rights to be rescinded (think broader issues like birth control, queerness, race, ethnicity). This end game was never a secret and marginalized groups have been warning us for years. We need to continue to listen to other people’s experiences and advocate for change to benefit all, not just some who look like me.

I believe in a person’s right to choose, especially when it comes to their bodies. It is not anyone’s business what we choose to do with our bodies. That is between the person and their healthcare provider and lawmakers should not be passing laws that counter everything we know about healthcare.

There is not much more that I can say that hasn’t been already said that can accurately express the feelings these decisions are bringing up for myself and others. So today’s post is to make sure that you know some of your rights as a client in therapy.

• You can always ask about your therapist’s stance on the things that matter to you. If they refuse to answer or their answer is different than what you need, you can terminate the counseling relationship at any time for any reason. For mandated clients, this can have some additional considerations and should be discussed with an attorney.

• You have a say in what goes in your therapy record. The laws that are currently in place are incredibly broad and leave a lot of discretion up to the therapist on what to include and how detailed they are. If you don’t want something in your notes, let your therapist know and they will work with you.

• You can also always request to see your notes. If your therapist declines to show you, they have to provide you with rationale as to why and make a plan to eliminate that barrier with you. This is usually only done if information such as a diagnosis can cause immediate harm to the client.

• You have a right to ask how your information is used. We keep records of the sessions, times/dates and outcomes. Your therapist should be able to provide a clear response of what information is kept, how long it needs to be kept, where it’s stored and how it’s used to inform treatment or to process payment from insurance or other 3rd party payors.

• Your therapist does not have to report most things said in session. There are a few exceptions and it can vary from state to state, but will essentially come down to if you or someone else is in immediate danger. Ohio is one of few states that also requires therapists to report animal abuse.

Ideally, your session should be a safe space to process your emotions and experiences. DC will continue to be a safe space to do so and will continue to hold client confidentiality in the highest regard.

On another note, it has been cautioned that if you use any electronic therapy services (Like BetterHelp, Pride Counseling, or another online therapy platform) or cycle tracking apps, you should revisit the terms of service to make sure your data is protected and can’t be turned over with a mere data request. Some apps allow for data to be covered under acts like HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), while some are not considered a healthcare entity and do not fall under these regulations.

For those that see Dryad Counseling through a 3rd party site or service that may not protect your data, you have the option to become a direct client. DC follows nationally recognized ethical guidelines and operates under HIPAA rulings/regulations. Please contact me directly at zpichler@dryadcounseling.com to work out a transition plan.

If you want to know more about the recent rulings, please see https://www.scotusblog.com/ . This is an independent news and analysis site.

*These are written with the perspective of a counselor in Ohio and may not be applicable to all states or disciplines.

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