Policy & Guideline

Mental Health Policy & Guideline

Prioritizing Your Well-being: Our Mental Health Policy

Introduction

At Planet Mind Psychology and Wellness Hub, we offer a variety of mental health services, including therapeutic counseling, psychotherapy, and psychological assessments. Our solutions are grounded in scientific evidence and are designed to support individuals in navigating their emotional and mental well-being. Through an interactive dialogue on thoughts, behaviors, and feelings, we collaborate with our clients to achieve predetermined goals. Our services extend to addressing issues related to familial relationships, work-life balance, anger management, personal growth, internal struggles, stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns.

Therapeutic Relationship:

Our therapeutic services are facilitated by professionals who are either in training, an associate, or a licensed mental health therapist. The foundation of this therapeutic alliance lies in trust and confidentiality. Our therapists create an environment that is secure, non-judgmental, and free of discrimination. The therapists take note of your concerns, explore suitable treatment methods, provide guidance, and adhere to their professional bodies' Code of Ethics. As a client, you are encouraged to actively participate in the discussion, be transparent, and engage with the proposed interventions for your overall well-being.

Potential Benefits and Risks for Therapy:

The process of therapy can be a transformative journey with numerous potential advantages, such as improved self-awareness and mitigated mental health disorder symptoms. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Enhanced mental health and general well-being
  • Better understanding of personal thoughts, feelings, and actions
  • Improved interpersonal skills and communication abilities
  • Increased resilience to stress and challenging emotions
  • Greater problem-solving capabilities
  • Insight into personal strengths and growth areas
  • Boosted self-esteem and self-confidence
  • Improved capability to form and sustain healthy relationships
  • Enhanced physical health, as mental health improvement can positively affect physical conditions

Despite these potential benefits, therapy may not always be the most suitable or effective solution. It's possible that therapy might:

  • Lead to discomfort due to the exploration of challenging emotions and experiences.
  • Bring to light unresolved issues from the past, which can be difficult to process.
  • Challenge beliefs or behaviors that might be difficult to change.
  • Expose conflicts or tension within relationships.
  • Initially exacerbate discomfort before substantial improvement is seen, as change can be difficult.

Before initiating therapy, potential risks and benefits should be discussed with your therapist. Therapy should not replace medical treatment, and any existing medical advice should be continued alongside therapy.

Mental Health Services:

At Planet Mind, we specialize in offering a wide array of mental health services tailored to accommodate the unique needs of our clients. Our services extend to teenagers (aged 13-17) as well as adults (18 years and above).

Our versatile offerings include the following:

  • Individual Therapy (Available Online and In-person)
  • Couples Therapy (Available Online and In-person)
  • Psychological Assessment (Available Online and In-person)
  • Career Assessment (Available Online and In-person)

Each of our services is meticulously designed to cater to different needs and features varying session durations. For comprehensive details about each service, we invite you to visit our FAQ page at planetmindcare.com/FAQ. Here, you will find an in-depth exploration of what each service entails, assisting you in making an informed decision about your mental health journey.

Payment & Packages:

In order to facilitate the smooth operation of our services, we kindly request that payment are made 24 hours prior to the initiation of services. Clients can choose to book single sessions or take advantage of discounted packages for multiple sessions. Please note that all package payments are non-transferable and non-shareable. For an in-depth overview of our fee structures and services, please visit our services webpage.

For online sessions:

Full payment in advance is required to confirm your booking.

For in-person sessions:

You can either pay the full session fee in advance, or choose to pay a deposit to secure your appointment, with the remaining balance due on the day of the session. The following is the deposit amounts:

  • Single Session: RM 100
  • Clinical Intake Interview: RM 125
  • Any Assessment Package: RM 200

For customized packages:

Please contact us directly.

Duration & Scheduling:

The length of therapy is determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the therapy type and the unique needs of the client. Typically, we suggest:

  • Individual Therapy: 8-12 sessions
  • Couples Therapy: 2-6 sessions
  • Psychological Assessment: Full attendance is required
  • Career Assessment: Full attendance is required

A further discussion with the therapist will provide a more personalized plan.

Late Arrivals, Rescheduling, Cancellations and No-Show:

We understand that life is unpredictable and circumstances may necessitate the rescheduling or cancellation of your appointment. To maintain an efficient and professional service for all our clients, we request adherence to the following policies:

Late Arrival:

Please note that if you are late to your scheduled online appointment, your session will nevertheless conclude at the originally determined end time. This ensures that subsequent clients are not affected by delays.

Rescheduling:

Should you need to reschedule your session, we ask that you provide us with a minimum of 24 hours' notice. Please contact us either via email or WhatsApp with your request. We will make every effort to accommodate your needs and find a suitable alternate appointment time. Once your session is successfully rescheduled, a confirmation of the new appointment details will be sent to you.

Cancellation:

In the event that you must cancel your appointment, we again require at least 24 hours' notice. Please be aware that a 10% processing fee will be deducted from any refunds provided. Once your cancellation request is processed, typically within 72 hours, we will issue a refund for 90% of your original payment.

No Show/Cancellation less than 24 hours:

In case of a no-show, where you fail to attend a session without prior notification, 50% of the total therapy fees will be forfeited. This policy allows us to manage our therapists' time effectively and accommodate other clients who may be waiting for an appointment.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with these policies, which allow us to offer a high-quality, timely service to all our clients.

Confidentiality & Privacy:

At Planet Mind, we prioritize your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information. We are committed to maintaining the highest degree of confidentiality regarding your personal details, session content, and any therapeutic records. Our measures to protect your privacy include conducting sessions in private therapy spaces and consistently respecting your privacy throughout the sessions.

The information you share during our therapeutic encounters is considered strictly confidential and will not be disclosed to any third parties without your explicit, written consent. Exceptions to this policy occur only under specific circumstances involving potential harm to you or others, or under certain legal obligations, such as instances of suspected child or elder neglect or abuse.

We pledge to store any data related to your therapy, including session notes, in a secure manner, accessible only to authorized personnel. Without your written consent, we will not share any personally identifiable information about you. Furthermore, we respect your rights to access your personal data and will provide copies of relevant records upon your request.

Nevertheless, we must caution you that electronic means of communication, including emails, messaging services, or virtual therapy platforms, may not be entirely secure. There's a risk these could be accessed by unauthorized parties. Therefore, we advise you to exercise caution when transmitting sensitive information electronically.

At Planet Mind, we regularly review and update our client data management procedures to ensure compliance with the best practices and current regulations. We take substantial steps to protect your data from unauthorized access or accidental loss. Upon receiving your written consent, your data will be deleted or securely disposed of once it is no longer necessary.

Attending the Session:

Whether you're receiving therapy in person or online, your session's effectiveness remains our priority. In-person attendees are advisable to arrive 15 minutes early to their appointments and adhere to any current health guidelines. Online attendees should log in 5 minutes prior to the session, ensuring a secure and stable connection for the session's entirety. Should you encounter any technical difficulties, please notify your therapist or our team immediately.

Ethical Concerns or Complaints:

At Planet Mind, we take every complaint against our therapists very seriously. If a therapist has made any inappropriate or unethical comments or actions pertaining to a client's sexuality, gender, race, or any physical, health, or mental conditions during a session, we urge you to report the incident immediately. Please direct your complaint to connect@planetmindcare.com, with the subject line "Ethical Concern Against Planet Mind’s Therapist." Be sure to include the following information in your email:

  • Full Name as per IC or Passport
  • Preferred name
  • The name of the therapist
  • The time and date of the session in question
  • A detailed account of the incident

Once we receive your report, Planet Mind will establish a case and work diligently to formulate appropriate remedial actions or plans with the therapist involved. We will then follow up with you to provide updates and discuss the progress of your case.

Harassment:

At Planet Mind, we maintain a strict policy against harassment in all its forms. This policy extends to all individuals involved in our services, including clients, employees, co-workers, and any person working for or on behalf of Planet Mind.

Harassment is defined as any verbal or physical conduct intended to threaten, intimidate, or coerce. This behavior is entirely unacceptable and contradicts the values we uphold at Planet Mind.

If any incident of harassment is identified, it will be meticulously documented in an Incident Report (IR). This written account serves as crucial evidence and can facilitate the filing of a police report when necessary. Following the first violation, the IR and case details will be rigorously reviewed by Planet Mind's Clinical Director for appropriate immediate action.

In the case of a second violation, the individual's association with Planet Mind will be unequivocally terminated. The safety, dignity, and well-being of our clients and staff are our foremost priorities. We are committed to fostering a respectful, secure, and therapeutic environment for all.

Your cooperation in maintaining these standards is appreciated and essential to the successful provision of our services. Please do not hesitate to report any concerns or violations of this policy to our team.

Limitation of Liability in Therapy:

Planet Mind and our therapists, provide the mental health services on an 'as-is' basis without any explicit or implied guarantees. We are not liable for any actions or decisions that you take as a result of our services. The accountability for your actions and decisions lies solely with you. Planet Mind or its therapists cannot be held liable for any damages arising from the utilization of the services. This includes, but is not limited to, direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, and consequential damages.

Informed Consent:

The purpose of our guidelines and policies is to keep you informed about the nature and purpose of our services. By booking a session with Planet Mind, you acknowledge that you understand the terms and that you can ask questions at any time.