Therapy Consent & Policies
An encrypted therapy consent and policies form — confidentiality limits, cancellation policy, fees, contact preferences and signed acknowledgment, all secured end-to-end.
About this template
This template provides therapy practices with a therapy agreement form that clients sign before their first session. It documents that the client understands and agrees to the confidentiality policy, the limits of confidentiality, the cancellation policy, fees, and contact preferences. All data is encrypted end-to-end.
What it collects
- Acknowledgment of confidentiality and its legal limits
- Understanding of the cancellation and lateness policy
- Agreement to fees and payment terms
- Preferred contact method and emergency contact
- Consent to therapy and data processing
- Digital signature
Encrypted by default
A signed therapy agreement is a legal and clinical document containing sensitive personal data. End-to-end encryption ensures only your practice can read it — not email servers, not the platform.
How to use it
Use this template
Click 'Use template' to create a copy in your dashboard.
Add your policies
Replace the placeholder policy text with your actual cancellation period, fee schedule, and emergency contact procedure.
Send before the first session
Clients should sign before their first appointment — send with the confirmation link.
Why therapy practices need a signed policies agreement
The therapeutic relationship is built on clarity and trust. A client who understands from the outset what is confidential, what is not, what the cancellation terms are, and how to contact the therapist in a crisis is better prepared to engage in the work of therapy. Equally, a therapist who has a signed acknowledgment of policies is legally and professionally protected if disputes arise about cancellation fees, emergency contact, or mandatory reporting situations.
In Switzerland, professional guidelines from cantonal psychological associations and the Schweizer Psychologen-Verband (FSP) require that therapists inform clients about confidentiality limits and obtain consent at the outset of treatment. A digital signed form provides the documentation required to demonstrate this.
What a therapy consent and policies form should cover
- Confidentiality — what the therapist will keep private
- Limits of confidentiality — mandatory reporting (child abuse, court orders, imminent risk to life)
- Cancellation policy — notice period, late cancellation fee, no-show policy
- Fees and payment — session fee, payment method, insurance billing
- Contact preferences — preferred method, response time expectations
- Emergency procedure — who to call in a crisis outside session hours
- Consent — agreement to the therapeutic relationship and data processing
Therapy agreements, GDPR and Swiss professional law
A therapy consent agreement is both a clinical document and a personal data record — it contains the client's name, contact preferences, and acknowledgment of sensitive terms. Under GDPR Article 9 and the Swiss nFADP it is special-category data. It must be stored securely, accessible only to the therapist, and retained for at least ten years after the end of treatment (KVG). End-to-end encryption closes the most common breach vectors and provides the technical safeguard required for this category of data.
Verbal agreement vs signed digital policy acknowledgment
| Verbal agreement | Signed digital acknowledgment | |
|---|---|---|
| Documentation | No record exists | Timestamped, encrypted record |
| Dispute protection | Your word vs client's | Documented agreed terms |
| Cancellation fees | Hard to enforce | Client signed the policy |
| Compliance | No audit trail | Encrypted, retained, retrievable |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not documenting confidentiality limits — mandatory reporting obligations must be disclosed before therapy begins.
- Omitting the cancellation policy from the consent form — verbal agreements are hard to enforce.
- Storing signed agreements in unencrypted email or shared drives.
- Using a generic consent form not tailored to your jurisdiction's reporting obligations.
Frequently asked questions
What are the confidentiality limits I must disclose in Switzerland?
In Switzerland, therapists must disclose at minimum: mandatory reporting of child abuse (Art. 22 KKG), situations involving imminent risk to life (duty of care), and the possibility that a court may order records to be disclosed. Check with your cantonal association for any additional obligations.
Can I use this form for online therapy clients?
Yes. Add a note about the telehealth nature of the sessions and reference your telehealth consent form (a separate template). Both should be signed before the first online session.
Is the signed agreement encrypted?
Yes. The signed form is encrypted in the client's browser before submission. Only your practice holds the decryption key.
See our use case for therapy and mental health practices, our guide to clinical consent documentation, and our comparison of encrypted form tools for therapists.