Complete Privacy Policy

Please read carefully and let me know if you have any questions before you check and electronically sign or agree to the terms of this document.

This document (the Agreement) contains important information about my professional services and business policies. When you sign this document, it will represent an agreement between us.

You may revoke this Agreement writing at any time. That revocation will be binding on me unless I have already taken action in reliance on this Agreement, if there are obligations imposed on me by your health insurer in order to process or substantiate claims made under your policy, or if you have not satisfied any financial obligations you have incurred with me.

The Counseling Relationship

The counseling relationship is a professional process intended to help you resolve personal challenges, adapt to life changes, or explore your current life situation. Ways in which counseling can help you include: identifying goals and developing a plan to achieve these goals, overcoming or learning to live with a mental illness or disability, changing a behavior, or seeking support. I may employ a variety of educational and therapeutic techniques to help you achieve your personal counseling goals, and these may include out-of-session counseling exercises of homework. Some clients can accomplish a great deal in a short period of time. Those with complex issues or histories will require more time.

Therapy is often difficult and challenging work. One of the most important joint responsibilities is communication. It is important to take an active role in counseling, to be as open and honest as possible, to make appropriate efforts outside of sessions, and to feedback to me about how you think our counseling is going. If at any time during the therapeutic process you are dissatisfied with my services, please let me know immediately so that we can explore the problem together. If I feel that my services are not or will not be appropriate for you, or that your work is complete, I will discuss my concerns with you. I reserve the right to conclude our counseling work or to refer to a more appropriate provider, at any time. I will do so only after all necessary communication with you. Treatment is optional and not required and you have the right to terminate treatment at any time. I ask that you discuss your reasons for termination with me so that we can both learn from the counseling relationship.

Multiple Relationships

Austin and the surrounding areas are technically large cities. However, they are still small enough that there is a chance you will know one or more of my clients. You may “bump” into a friend, neighbor, employer, family member, colleague or business partner coming out of my office after his/her appointment. I do not acknowledge working with or even knowing any of my clients without his/her permission. Please note it is common for Facebook or other social media platforms to connect email addresses or contacts or links. I do not friend, like or connect over social media with clients. If you receive a request or notice it is not from me and should be deleted. This stance is taken to maintain a professional treatment relationship.

NOTICE OF FEE CHANGES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2022

Fees. The fee for a 45-50-minute office visit is $300. 1.5 hour sessions at $600.00 fee. The extra time allows intensive focus. I charge $300.00 per hour on a pro-rata basis for any other professional services you may need such as report writing, telephone conversations lasting longer than 10 minutes, attendance at meetings with other professionals you have authorized, preparation of records or treatment summaries, and the time spent performing any other services you may request of me. Telephone consultation will be charged in 15-minute increments at the rate the caller would be charged for an office visit.

It is very important you pay the agreed-upon fee prior to leaving the office after each individual session, in the form of cash, check or credit card. Fees that are unpaid, or that appear likely to be unpaid, will be discussed with you individually. Accounts are considered delinquent after one session is unpaid. At this point, if payment arrangements have not been made, routine appointments will cease until the situation is addressed.

Updated cancellation policy: If you cancel or no show with less than 48 hours’ notice, you will be charged full fee for the missed session. Additionally, if more than 2 appointments are rescheduled/cancelled within 48 hours notice, there will be a full session fee charged. Please know this is due to the limited number of slots available in this practice and the amount of persons requesting my services.

Reminder notices via text and/or email are a courtesy service. Problems with software and individual cell phone carriers may cause messages to fail or not be sent. Clients are responsible for remembering their appointment times.

Legal Proceedings/Services

If you become involved in legal proceedings that require my participation, I expect you to pay for my professional time even if I am called to testify by another party. Because of the difficulty of legal involvement, I charge three times my regular per hour fee for travel time, preparation and attendance at any legal proceeding and will require a retainer in advance of any work related to legal proceedings. Please understand attending events for one client require the cancelation of all other patients receiving treatment. Clearing the practicioner’s schedule is what requires the fees and retainer amounts.

The retainer fee must be paid in advance via credit card, cashier check, or cash. If I am called for any legal proceeding or matter the entire day must be reserved and paid for as I can not keep regular clients waiting for me to finish to determine if they can keep their appointment that day. If I am placed “on call” but not necessarily present in court the day must be reserved as well as I can not cancel other treatment sessions with clientele at the last minute if I am called. Any portion of the retainer fee not used at the end of the matter will be returned to the client.

Fee Changes

I reserve the right to reassess my fee structure and will notify you sixty days in advance of any proposed increases or changes.

Contacting Leanne Spencer

Due to my work schedule, I am often not immediately available by telephone and I do not answer the phone when I am with a client. When I am unavailable, you may leave a voicemail for me. I will make every effort to return your call on the same day you make it. If you are difficult to reach, please inform me of some times when you will be available. If you are unable to reach me and feel that you can’t wait for me to return your call, contact your family physician or one of the services listed below:

* 24-Hour Crisis Hotline 512-472-4357

* Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) 512-454-3521

* Seton Shoal Creek Psychiatric Hospital 512-324-2000

* Brackenridge Hospital Emergency 512-324-7010

* General Emergency Number 911

If I will be unavailable for an extended time, I will provide you with the name of a colleague to contact, if necessary.

Professional Records

The laws and standards of my profession require that i keep treatment records. I will keep your records for at least seven (7) years past the date of your last visit. You are entitled to receive a copy of your records, or I can prepare a summary for you instead. Because these are professional records, they can be misinterpreted and/or upsetting to untrained readers. If you wish to see your records, I recommend that you review them in my presence so that we can discuss the contents. I charge clients a fee for any professional time spent in responding to information requests.

Confidentiality

Psychotherapy, counseling, assessment, and associated services that are related to diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment services provided by licensed professionals are confidential and protected under Texas state law. The law protects the privacy of all communications between a client and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). In most situations, I can only release information about your treatment to others if you sign a written authorization form. However, there are some situations where I am required by law to disclose information:

If you report that a child, elderly person, or anyone else who cannot otherwise protect themselves has been or is being neglected, or physically or sexually abused; If you report that someone has been or is being neglected; physically or sexually abused; or subjected to illegal, unprofessional, or unethical conduct (including sexual exploitation) by a mental health professional; If you represent harm to yourself; or If my records are subpoenaed by the courts for purposes of litigation.

I will also disclose information to the appropriate authorities if you represent harm to yourself or others. Should you seek insurance reimbursement for your counseling, disclosure of confidential information may be required to process your claims; I have no control over what the insurance company does with the information you have authorized me to release. I may occasionally find it helpful to consult other mental health professionals about a case, During a consultation, I make every effort to avoid revealing your identity. The other professionals are also legally bound to keep the information confidential. I will not tell you about these consultations unless I feel it is important for our work together.