Creating an informed consent form for therapy is crucial in establishing a professional, legal, and ethical private practice. The form outlines essential aspects of the therapeutic relationship, sets expectations for the therapy process, and legally protects both the client and therapist.
While you can take the time to create your own form from scratch and incur high attorney fees for reviewing it, another efficient option is to use customizable attorney-approved private practice paperwork from reputable sources or within EHR systems.
Having attorney-approved private practice forms is one of the first things you should consider when you are going through your private practice startup paperwork checklist. Whether you are brand new to private practice or if you previously received private practice paperwork for free from a colleague you want to ensure you include paperwork that meets the legal and ethical requirements of our field so that both you and your clients are protected.
What Are the Key Elements to Include in an Informed Consent Form for Therapy?
Let’s chat about the key areas and the importance of the informed consent form counseling template. It is one of the most essential documents, especially since therapists can not start the therapy process with clients until they have read, reviewed, and signed the informed consent form.
When drafting an informed consent form, it's vital to include certain elements to ensure your clients fully understand the therapeutic process, their rights, and confidentiality limitations.
Here are some of the key areas that should be covered in your private practice therapy consent form:
Introduction & Purpose of the Form: Clearly state that the document is an informed consent form for participation in therapy services and explain its purpose—to provide clients with the information needed to make an informed decision about entering therapy.
Therapist Qualifications & Background: Include a brief description of your credentials, experience, and therapeutic approach. This builds trust and gives clients confidence in your ability to provide the services they need.
Nature of Therapy: Outline what therapy involves, including techniques used, the therapeutic relationship, projected treatment length, and expected outcomes. Clarify that therapy is a collaborative process and that results cannot be guaranteed
Client Rights & Responsibilities: Detail the client's rights, such as the right to withdraw from therapy, and their responsibilities, like attending scheduled sessions and participating actively in the process.
Benefits & Risks: It is our ethical duty to include both the benefits of therapy and the risks in your therapy consent form. An example of this is that being in therapy can benefit clients with what they are seeking therapy for, but it can also create challenges or unexpected changes in other areas of life.
Confidentiality & Limits: Explain the importance of confidentiality in the therapeutic relationship, but also highlight its legal limitations, such as when there is a risk of harm to the client or others, child or elder abuse, or when ordered by a court.
Fees & Payment Policies: Clearly state your fees, payment schedules, and policies related to cancellations, no-shows, and late payments. Transparency in financial matters prevents misunderstandings and ensures clients know what to expect.
Cancellation Policy: Your cancellation policy should detail the required notice period for canceling a session without incurring a fee, typically 24 to 48 hours, and any charges for late cancellations or missed appointments. This policy helps clients understand the importance of consistency in therapy and protects your time as a therapist.
Social Media Policy: Include a social media policy to clarify your stance on interacting with clients on social platforms. Specify that you will not engage with clients on social media to maintain professional boundaries and that any online communication should occur through secure, private channels.
Emergency Contact Information: Provide instructions on how clients can reach you in case of an emergency, and specify what constitutes an emergency that warrants contacting you outside of scheduled sessions. Be sure to get emergency contact for the client as well in the event of an emergency.
Termination of Therapy: Discuss the conditions under which therapy might be terminated, either by the client or the therapist, and describe the process for ending the therapeutic relationship.
Informed Consent for Teletherapy: If you offer teletherapy or online counseling services, include a section outlining the risks, benefits, and logistics of conducting therapy sessions remotely. You can have an additional telehealth counseling consent form or you can make it as part of your informed consent paperwork.
Documentation & Record-Keeping: Explain how client records will be maintained, who will have access to them, and how long they will be kept. This section is important for compliance with legal and ethical standards.
Why is Reviewing the Informed Consent Form in the First Session Crucial?
Reviewing the informed consent form with clients during your first session is not just a formality—it’s a critical step in building trust, setting expectations, and ensuring that your clients fully understand the therapeutic process. By going over the most important aspects of the form together, you demonstrate transparency and professionalism, which can help alleviate any anxieties the client may have about starting therapy.
This discussion also helps clients feel more comfortable asking questions about their rights and responsibilities and sets a tone of openness and collaboration for your ongoing work together. It’s also an opportunity to clarify any points that might be confusing or misunderstood, thereby preventing potential conflicts or misunderstandings later on.
It is always recommended to have new clients complete paperwork prior to their first session, giving them time to review the paperwork. Don’t assume a client has fully read the consent. Reviewing the most important aspects of the consent form verbally should be part of your policies and procedures as well. When reviewing the consent highlight significant areas such as treatment, limits to confidentiality, fees, and your cancellation policy. This helps to alleviate issues in the course of the therapeutic relationship.
Can You Give a Sample Script for Reviewing the Informed Consent Form?
When reviewing the informed consent form with a client, it’s important to approach the conversation with empathy, clarity, and confidence. As private practice therapists ourselves, we've created an example below of a first counseling session script that you can use for your private practice:
Therapist: “Before we begin our work together, I want to take a few minutes to go over this document with you. This is our informed consent form, which outlines the details of our therapy sessions, including what you can expect, your rights, limits to confidentiality, and some important private practice policies and procedures. My goal is to make sure that you feel fully informed and comfortable with how we’ll be working together. It’s also an opportunity for you to ask any questions you might have, so please feel free to stop me at any time.”
Therapist: “First, I want to thank you for choosing me for our work together. I want to assure you that everything we discuss in our sessions is confidential. However, there are some exceptions to this, such as if there’s a risk of harm to yourself or others, or in cases of child or elder abuse. I’ll explain these exceptions in more detail as we go through the form.”
Therapist: “We’ll also cover my fees, payment policies, and what to do in case of emergencies. It’s important that we’re on the same page about these aspects to avoid any surprises later on.”
Therapist: “I want to highlight our cancellation policy as well. We require a [24/48]-hour notice if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment. If you cancel late or miss a session, there will be a fee, which helps ensure that we can manage our schedules effectively. This policy is designed to respect both our time and maintain the consistency that’s important in therapy.”
Therapist: “Additionally, I’d like to touch on our social media policy. To maintain professional boundaries, I don’t interact with clients on social media. If you need to communicate with me outside of our sessions, please use the secure methods we’ve discussed.”
Therapist: “I’ll walk you through the document step by step, and we can discuss any parts that you might have questions about. This form is designed to protect both of us and to make sure that our work together is as productive and safe as possible and to help you achieve the goals that you are seeking therapy for.”
Therapist: “If at any point during our work together, you have concerns or feel that things aren’t working for you, please let me know. We can discuss it and decide on the best course of action, whether that means adjusting our approach or, if necessary, considering other options.”
Therapist: “Do you have any questions for me about anything that we covered so far?”
How Can Private Practice Paperwork Templates Streamline Your Counseling Practice?
Creating all the necessary paperwork for a private practice can be time-consuming and costly, especially if you’re doing it on your own. However, there are resources available that can provide you with comprehensive, attorney-approved private practice paperwork, including everything from informed consent forms to private practice counseling policies and procedure templates.
For example, a private practice paperwork bundle can offer a range of documents ready to use, including a private practice therapy consent form, private practice intake form for counseling clients, release of information, HIPAA, and more. These bundles are often customizable, allowing you to tailor the documents to fit the specific needs of your practice while ensuring that all legal and ethical standards are met.
Not only does this save you time, but it also gives you peace of mind knowing that your paperwork is up-to-date, ethical, and legally sound. Many of these bundles are available through reputable sources. It is important to ensure that private practice forms have been reviewed by an attorney. Some organizations such as NASW or EHRs also provide forms but many of them do not include the experience of being a therapist in private practice. Private practice forms that you create or purchase can also be integrated into EHR systems, streamlining your documentation process and creating a more therapist-client-centered experience.
Take the Next Step for Your Practice & Paperwork
Drafting an informed consent form is a crucial aspect of setting up your private practice, you can’t see clients without it. Although this is one of the most lengthy private practice forms it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. Whether you choose to create your form from scratch or utilize a private practice paperwork template in the options we discussed above, what matters most is that your clients are fully informed and protected and that your paperwork follows the ethical and legal standards of the mental health profession.
To make the process even easier, consider investing in a comprehensive private practice paperwork bundle, which includes everything you need to get your practice up and running smoothly. These bundles are designed to save you time, reduce stress, and ensure that your practice is compliant with all necessary regulations.
If you’re ready to take the next step in building a successful private practice, explore the attorney-approved private practice paperwork bundle.
This bundle includes a complete set of documents that you need to run your practice. It includes 20+ forms—everything you need to start your practice on the right foot.
Don’t waste time and money trying to create your paperwork from scratch. Get your private practice paperwork bundle today and rest assured that you are covered both legally and ethically. Feel confident in yourself and practice!
Ready to Create a Legally Sound Informed Consent Form for Your Therapy Practice?
Looking for a simple, compliant way to draft an informed consent form that meets ethical and legal standards? The Private Practice Startup offers an attorney-approved Private Practice Paperwork Bundle, including a customizable Informed Consent Form Template, specifically designed to protect you and your clients while establishing clear therapy expectations. Follow these three steps to get started:
Ask Any Questions – Reach out to us at Kate@ThePrivatePracticeStartup.com for any inquiries or clarification you need about our consent form template or paperwork bundle.
Choose Your Template or Bundle – Download the Attorney-Approved Informed Consent Form Template, or upgrade to the full private practice paperwork bundle for comprehensive, legally sound documentation.
Start Using It Today – Fill in your practice details, and begin your therapy sessions confidently, knowing you have the right paperwork to support your professional standards.
Additional Services Offered by The Private Practice Startup
At The Private Practice Startup, we’re dedicated to helping your private practice thrive. Alongside our comprehensive private practice paperwork packages for mental health professionals, we offer a range of additional services to support you every step of the way. If you’re looking to expand, our Private Practice Marketing E-Course provides step-by-step guidance to help you attract more clients and grow your practice with confidence. We also invite you to tune in to The Private Practice Startup Podcast, where we bring insights from industry experts, accomplished therapists, and successful entrepreneurs. Whether you’re practicing in Texas, New York, California, or anywhere in between, we’re here to empower you to achieve your private practice goals and reach new levels of success.