Terms & Conditions

1. Professional Mental Health Services

Institute of Grief provides professional mental health services including individual counseling, group therapy, crisis intervention, and grief education through licensed mental health professionals.

2. Therapeutic Relationship & Boundaries

• Professional Boundaries: Therapeutic relationships are professional, not personal
• Dual Relationships: Counselors cannot have personal relationships with clients
• Treatment Goals: Collaboratively established between client and therapist
• Treatment Duration: Based on individual needs with regular progress review

3. Confidentiality & Privacy

• HIPAA Protection: All communications protected under medical privacy laws
• Session Confidentiality: Content of therapy sessions remains completely private
• Record Security: Therapy records secured with medical-grade encryption
• Limited Exceptions: Confidentiality broken only for imminent danger situations

4. Crisis Support & Safety

• 24/7 Crisis Line: Available for mental health emergencies
• Safety Planning: Collaborative development of safety plans for high-risk periods
• Emergency Intervention: Professional duty to intervene if life is in immediate danger
• Community Resources: Connection to local emergency mental health services

5. Payment & Insurance

• Insurance Coverage: We accept most major insurance plans for mental health services
• Sliding Scale Fees: Financial hardship assistance available
• Payment Plans: Flexible payment options for ongoing therapy
• No Financial Barriers: Crisis support provided regardless of ability to pay

6. Client Rights & Responsibilities

Your Rights:

• Right to informed consent about treatment approaches
• Right to participate in treatment planning
• Right to request different therapist if needed
• Right to terminate services at any time
• Right to access your therapy records

Your Responsibilities:

• Attend scheduled sessions or provide advance notice of cancellation
• Participate honestly and openly in the therapeutic process
• Follow safety plans and crisis protocols as agreed
• Inform therapist of any medications or other mental health treatment

7. Professional Standards & Ethics

• Licensed Professionals: All counselors licensed by state mental health boards
• Professional Ethics: Bound by APA, NASW, and other professional ethics codes
• Continuing Education: Regular training in grief counseling and trauma therapy
• Clinical Supervision: Regular supervision for quality assurance

8. Technology & Data Security

• Secure Platforms: HIPAA-compliant video therapy and communication systems
• Estonian Data Sovereignty: Additional EU privacy protection for therapy data
• Encrypted Storage: Medical records encrypted and secured
• Access Controls: Strict access controls for all therapy information

9. Service Limitations

• Not Emergency Services: For life-threatening emergencies, call 911
• Scope of Practice: Services limited to grief counseling and mental health support
• Medical Advice: We provide mental health support, not medical diagnosis or treatment
• Legal Advice: We do not provide legal, financial, or estate planning advice

10. Estonian Jurisdiction & Compliance

Institute of Grief operates under Estonian law through B-Systems Estonian e-Residency, providing EU-level privacy protection while maintaining US mental health licensing standards.