Informed Consent for Psychological Counseling

About Me

I am a psychologist registered with the Portuguese Psychologists Association (Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses, OPP), license no. 31348. I work with clients aged 18 and over, in accordance with Portuguese law and the OPP Code of Ethics.

In my practice, I use the following approaches: Schema Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Current information about my education is available at vlad.pt/en/about.

How Sessions Work and How to Book

Sessions typically take place once a week and last 50 minutes. For video sessions, I use Google Meet or Cal Video. You can book sessions through an online calendar; I will send you the link in our chat.

Before we begin, we may arrange a brief call (up to 15 minutes) to discuss practical and organisational matters. This call is not a therapy session and is not billed.

Fees, Payment, and Changes to Terms

Session fee: 60 EUR. Payment details will be shared in our messages. Payment is due before the session or within 24 hours after it. The first session must be paid in advance.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, please let me know at least 24 hours in advance. For cancellations made with less than 24 hours' notice, I request payment of 50% of the session fee. If I cancel with less than 24 hours' notice, your next session will be discounted by 50%. In cases of force majeure, we will discuss the terms separately.

Fees are reviewed no earlier than one year after the start of our work and no more than once per year.

Confidentiality

What you share in sessions is confidential. I do not disclose to third parties either the content of our meetings or the fact that we are working together without your consent, except where disclosure is required by law. If we happen to meet in person or online by chance, I will act as though we do not know each other in order to protect your privacy. You are free to acknowledge our professional relationship if you choose.

I keep electronic notes to support consistent and effective work. These records are stored in encrypted form and are accessible only to me. You may request access to them, and I will provide the notes in a clear and understandable format.

At times, I consult with colleagues (for example, a supervisor, psychiatrist, physician, lawyer) to improve the quality of psychological care. I do not disclose identifying client information, and I modify details so that the person cannot be identified.

The Psychotherapy Process and Ending Therapy

Psychotherapy is a collaborative process between the client and the psychologist, aimed at meaningful changes in the client's life and wellbeing. Outcomes cannot be guaranteed; however, research supports the effectiveness of psychotherapy for a wide range of concerns.

Discussing difficult topics can be uncomfortable and may temporarily intensify emotions, though it may be beneficial over time. If therapy does not feel helpful or becomes too difficult, it is important to tell me. We can adjust our work, discuss ending therapy, or consider a referral to another specialist.

You may stop psychotherapy at any time. I may also recommend pausing or ending therapy if it is no longer helpful or safe, if the concerns presented are outside my competence, or if our agreements are repeatedly not followed. When possible, we will discuss ending in advance and dedicate one or more sessions to the conclusion of our work.

Communication and Crisis Situations

You can contact me via WhatsApp or Telegram at +351 928 351 895, or by email at vladselivanov@proton.me. I recommend bringing longer messages to session for discussion, unless we have agreed otherwise.

I do not communicate with clients on social media and do not add clients as friends.

I do not provide emergency or crisis intervention. If you are in an acute crisis or there is a risk to life, contact your local emergency services, call an ambulance, or reach out to a crisis hotline.