Our Treatment Policy

Welcome to The LightHouse Arabia! This documents contains important information regarding services, business practices, and your rights and responsibilities as a client of the Lighthouse. Please read it carefully and jot down any questions you might have so that they can be discussed with your clinician. This contract is a reciprocal agreement with corresponding rights and responsibilities for you as a client, and your clinician; most importantly this document will help you understand what to expect.

PSYCHOLOGICAL & PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES:

The initial session, also known as the diagnostic intake, the clinician will be gathering a history of the presenting issue and other bio psychosocial information. The evaluation process may take more than one session depending on the case. By the end of the evaluation, the clinician will be able to offer initial impressions of the services requirement and a treatment plan. The services could include; individual psychotherapy, psychological assessment, behavioral therapy, group therapy, or psychiatry.

THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP:

All clinicians are required to adhere to the code of ethics and standards of practice as put forth by the Dubai Health Authority. This code precludes dual relationships, meaning the clinician and client may not have any other type of relationship beyond this scope, in order to protect the rights of clients and maintain objectivity and professional judgment in the provision of services.

CONFIDENTIALITY:

TLH takes strict measures to protect your confidentiality, privacy, and security in regards to your care, information, and records. If the clinician needs to obtain/release information from other individuals such as a doctor or educational institution – a written release of information will be signed by the client to authorize this exchange of information. Clinicians may occasionally find it necessary to consult with other professionals about client treatment for the purposes of supervision or clinical peer review. In these instances, no identifying information is revealed. The consultant is also bound to uphold policies and procedures surrounding protection of client confidentiality. By the standard of practice in psychotherapy, such a consultation is not a violation of consultation.

DIAGNOSIS

If a third party such as insurance company is paying for part of your bill, clinicians are normally required to give a diagnosis to that third part in order for you to receive reimbursement. Diagnoses are technical terms describing the nature of your problems and assist in determining whether it is a short or long-term issue. If the clinicians do not use a diagnosis, this will be discussed with you. All diagnosis are derived from the DSM-5 or ICD-10.

APPOINTMENTS:

Duration, times, and frequency of appointments vary for each individual and their specific problem(s) targeted. Generally, appointments are once a week and last 50-60 minutes. While an estimate of treatment duration can be provided, clients are cautioned this is only an estimate. Treatment duration varies depending on what the client hopes to accomplish. While shorter-term treatments routinely target symptom relief and a return to baseline functioning, enduring changes in longstanding patterns of behavior or chronic problems require longer term care. The clinician, in conjunction with the client, will determine when to terminate therapy based on the client.

SKYPE SESSIONS:

Skype sessions are only available to clients who have had an initial face-to-face assessment/evaluation at the Lighthouse premises. If the client chooses to engage in sessions via Skype, he/she understands that communicating via the internet is not 100% secure. You agree to read what Skype TM writes about its level of security and encryption (https://www.skype.com/en/security/). Distant clients understand that if they are experiencing an emergency, seriously considering harming themselves (suicide), or considering harming someone else that they should immediately go to a mental health hospital or facility, or call their national helpline.

CANCELLATIONS & NON-ATTENDANCE OF SESSIONS:

If for any reason you cannot attend a scheduled appointment, you are requested to contact The Lighthouse as soon as possible. Please note that it is clinic policy that appointments must be cancelled by 12.00PM( Noon) hours the day before your appointment. Appointments not cancelled by 12.00PM (Noon) hours the day before the appointment will be charged at full fee. Insurance companies do not cover missed appointments. A strong pattern of no shows and/or cancellations can impede the therapeutic process and may result in termination of services as determined by your clinician.

CONTACTING YOUR CLINICIAN:

TLH operates Sunday – Saturday  8 am – 8 pm. If you need to contact your clinician outside of allotted appointment time, you may call or e-mail. Be aware that clinicians may not be available to respond immediately. Every effort will be made to return client calls within 24 hours. It is important to note that TLH clinicians do not provide crisis services. Should you require after-hour services due to medical, mental or emotional distress, you must contact the emergency room at the nearest hospital. If necessary, in the circumstance your clinician is unavailable for an extended time, clients will be provided with the name of a trusted clinician/colleague whom they can contact. In the event that your clinician is suddenly unable to meet with you on your appointed times due to a medical or personal emergency, you will be informed and offered a consultation with another psychologist who will be adequately briefed regarding your history and able to provide interim care and support.

ENDING THERAPY:

It is your right as a client to end therapy at any time, with or without a given reason. Ending therapy may occur at anytime and be indicated by either you, the client, or your therapist. If you have concerns about your therapy experience, please share them and possible changes can be made to make therapy more helpful to you. It is not unusual for an individual to meet with more than one therapist before they find the “best fit. Please share your preferences and the clinician may be able to help you find a therapist who may be a better match for you. Generally, therapy ends when you have accomplished established goals at the beginning of therapy. If you stop attending sessions, the clinician generally does not call you out of respect for your choice. Do not interpret his/her not calling as the clinician not caring about you. If you decide at a later date that you are ready to become involved in therapy again, feel free to call TLH Clinic and ask to resume therapy. The clinician understands that sometimes it is just not the right time to devote the energy necessary for successful therapy.

COMPLAINTS, GRIEVANCES, & RISK:

It is your right as a client of the TLH to present any concerns or grievances about services and receive a response in a time-sensitive manner. Clients have the right to seek a meeting with the TLH Clinical Director if a dispute between you and your clinician cannot be resolved. The process of making a complaint starts with completing a complaint/grievance form. In situations where risk is elevated and the emergency contact is unable to be reached, the clinician will move forward in using his or her best judgment to provide the appropriate level of care.

FEES, BILLING, & PAYMENT:

The standard fee for a 50 minute counseling hour is AED 695-1110 for Doctoral level psychologist and AED 695-815 for Master’s level clinicians. The standard fee for an initial 50-minute psychiatry appointment is AED 950 and AED 675 for 30-min follow up appointments. There is a 50aed registration fee collected at the first session. This fee is not inclusive of prescription charges, reports or letters requested. The fees are collected at the beginning of the session and clients are expected to pay in full. Clients can expect to be notified of any changes in fees 30 days prior to the effective date. Clients can make payments using cash, credit, and debit cards. If the account is more than 60 days in and suitable arrangements have not been made, TLH clinic has the option of using legal means to secure payment. Services may be terminated if payments are in arrears.

OFF-SITE CHARGED OR OUTPATIENT SERVICES CHARGE:

Clients with a request for their clinician to provide off site, out-of-clinic, therapeutic support will be charged in accordance with the respective clinician’s hourly charge. In addition, there will be a one-hour minimum for travel time to and from the site.

WORKING WITH MINORS:

When treating minors, defined as individual’s under the age of 21, parents or legal guardians have rights to access records. It is our policy to request an agreement from parents that they agree to give up access to the records to encourage trust and protect the therapeutic alliance. If parents agree, they will be provided with only general information of the work together, unless the clinician feels that there is a high risk that the minor will seriously harm themselves or someone else. In this case, clinicians will notify parents of their concern. Clinicians will also provide parents with a summary of the work frequently and upon treatment completion. Children of divorced or separated parents must have consent from both parents, or the primary custodian, with court attested documentation. Your child’s therapist will not communicate with attorneys for either parent or guardian. Any information provided by one parent may be shared with the other parent by the child’s therapist if custody is shared. In situations where risk is elevated and the emergency contact is unable to be reached, the clinician will move forward in using his or her best judgment to provide the appropriate level of care.

WORKING WITH COUPLES:

The couples’ therapist may ask for sessions to be 1 hour or a minimum of 90 minutes, depending on the clinician. The couple’s session charges will different between clinicians, however you will be made aware of this when you are booking an appointment. Clinicians adhere to a standard of “NO SECRETS POLICY” in couple’s therapy. This however is subject to change at the discretion of the therapist should it be untenable for specific reasons, or if it may jeopardize the safety and efficacy of the couple’s therapy. This will be discussed at the beginning of the work and re-visited if change occurs. In case of a divorce or court case, your clinician will not speak against one of the parties in the couple.