Terms of Service

Candid Therapy and Counseling, LLC

Website: www.candidtherapyandcounseling.com

Email: lauren@candidtherapyandcounseling.com

Services: Individual, Couples, Family and Sex Therapy

Jurisdictions: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and State of New Jersey

Payment model: Self-pay (out of network; no insurance billing)

Effective date: September 22, 2026

Website: www.candidtherapyandcounseling.com

Email: lauren@candidtherapyandcounseling.com

IF YOU ARE IN AN EMERGENCY OR YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT HURTING YOURSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE, THIS WEBSITE CANNOT HELP YOU. PLEASE STOP READING AND GET HELP RIGHT NOW. 

• Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is free and open 24 hours a day.

• Call 911 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.

• Text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.

• New Jersey residents can call the NJ Hopeline at 1-855-654-6735.

• Call 1-800-662-4357 for the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline.

• Call 1-800-799-7233 for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

• Call 1-800-656-4673 for the RAINN sexual assault hotline.

We do not monitor this website for messages about emergencies. Do not use the contact form, email, or text messages to report an emergency.

Table of Contents

This table of contents is provided because these Terms are longer than 3,000 words. New Jersey law asks consumer contracts of this length to include one.

•  Candid Therapy and Counseling, LLC

•  1. Who We Are and What These Terms Cover

•  2. The Short Version in Plain Language

•  3. This Website Is Not Therapy and Is Not for Emergencies

•  4. Who May Use This Website

•  5. Using This Website Does Not Create a Therapist–Client Relationship

•  6. Your Counseling Services Are Governed by Separate Agreements

•  7. Where We Are Licensed and Where We Can See You

•  8. Telehealth Sessions

•  9. Fees, Payment, and Good Faith Estimates

•  10. Appointments, Cancellations, and Missed Sessions

•  11. Recurring Charges, Packages, and Membership Payments

•  12. Insurance and Out-of-Network Reimbursement

•  13. How You May Use This Website

•  14. Your Privacy, Your Health Information, and Confidentiality

•  15. When We May Have to Share Information Without Your Permission

•  16. Therapy With Couples, Families, and More Than One Person

•  17. Sex Therapy: What It Is and What It Is Not

•  18. Children, Teenagers, and Parents

•  19. Our Content and Intellectual Property

•  20. Third-Party Websites, Apps, and Tools

•  21. No Promises About the Information on This Website

•  22. Limits on Our Liability

•  23. Recording Sessions, Messages, and Social Media

•  24. Resolving Disputes: Our Agreement to Arbitrate

•  25. Your Rights Under Pennsylvania Law

•  26. Your Rights Under New Jersey Law

•  27. Governing Law and Where Cases Are Heard

•  28. Changes to These Terms

•  29. Ending Your Use of This Website

•  30. If One Part of These Terms Is Not Enforceable

•  31. The Whole Agreement Between Us

•  32. Contacting Us

•  Version History

1. Who We Are and What These Terms Cover

Candid Therapy and Counseling, LLC is a private counseling practice. In these Terms of Service, the words "we," "us," "our," and "the Practice" all mean Candid Therapy and Counseling, LLC. The words "you" and "your" mean the person visiting or using this website.

We offer individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, and sex therapy. We are licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We are a self-pay practice, which means our clients pay us directly and we do not bill insurance companies.

These Terms are a legal agreement between you and us. They cover your use of www.candidtherapyandcounseling.com, including every page, form, and download on it. They also cover any emails or text messages you exchange with us about scheduling or about the website.

Please read these Terms carefully before you use this website. You agree to these Terms when you use the website. If you do not agree, please do not use the website.

These Terms are not the same as your informed consent documents. They are not the same as our Notice of Privacy Practices. They are not the same as our practice policies about fees or cancellations. When you become a client, you will receive those separate documents. If any of those separate documents conflicts with these Terms about your therapy or your health information, the separate document controls.

A note on plain language. We wrote these Terms in plain language on purpose. That is simply good practice. It also happens to be what the law asks for. Pennsylvania's Plain Language Consumer Contract Act (73 P.S. §§ 2201 through 2213) applies to this agreement. New Jersey's Plain Language Act (N.J.S.A. 56:12-1 through 56:12-13) also applies. Both laws ask for short sentences, everyday words, and clearly captioned sections. Under Pennsylvania law, a consumer cannot waive the rights that the Plain Language Consumer Contract Act gives them. Any such waiver is void. We tell you this so you know that the clarity of this document is not a courtesy. It is part of the bargain.

2. The Short Version in Plain Language

This section is a summary. It is not a substitute for the rest of these Terms. If there is any difference between this summary and the sections that follow, the sections that follow control.

The most important points are these:

This website is not therapy. Reading this website does not make you a client. Sending us a message through this website does not make you a client either. A therapist–client relationship begins only after we both agree to it in writing, we schedule your first appointment, and we give you our informed consent documents.

This website is not for emergencies. If you need help right now, call 988 or 911. Do not wait for us to read an email.

We can only see clients who are physically in Pennsylvania or New Jersey. Your body has to be in one of those two states during a session. This is true even for video sessions. This is a licensing rule, and we cannot make exceptions to it.

We are a self-pay practice. We do not bill insurance. You pay us directly. Because you pay us directly, federal law gives you the right to a written Good Faith Estimate of what your care will cost. We explain that in Section 9.

You have a right to your records. We explain that in Section 14.

Confidentiality has limits. We will keep what you tell us private. The law requires us to break confidentiality in a small number of specific situations. We explain each one in Section 15. We would rather you learn about them now than be surprised later.

If we ever disagree about money or about this website, we ask you to try talking with us first. Section 24 explains a limited arbitration process. That section also explains how to opt out of it entirely if you prefer, and it lists the kinds of claims that are never covered by it.

3. This Website Is Not Therapy and Is Not for Emergencies

The content on this website is for general information only. It is not therapy. It is not counseling. It is not medical advice. It is not a diagnosis. It is not a treatment plan.

Reading an article on this website does not treat any condition. It does not create a clinical relationship. It does not replace care from a qualified professional who knows you.

Do not delay getting help because of something you read on this website. Do not stop or change any treatment because of something you read on this website.

We do not monitor this website for emergencies. Nobody is watching the contact form, the email inbox, or the text message line around the clock. Messages sent on a Friday evening may not be read until the following business day.

If you are in crisis, use a crisis line, not this website. Call or text 988. Call 911 if there is immediate danger. The full list of crisis resources appears at the top of this page.

We do not provide therapy through chatbots or automated tools. Nothing on this website gives automated therapeutic advice. If you ever receive something that claims to be automated counseling from us, it did not come from us. Please tell us about it.

4. Who May Use This Website

You may use this website if you are at least 18 years old. You may also use it if you are younger than 18 and a parent or legal guardian is helping you.

You may not use this website if you are under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13 through this website.

You may not use this website if you are barred from doing so under the laws of the United States or of your own state.

If you use this website on behalf of someone else, you confirm that you have the legal authority to do so.

5. Using This Website Does Not Create a Therapist–Client Relationship

Visiting this website does not make you our client. Filling out a form on this website does not make you our client. Sending us an email does not make you our client. Asking a question through the website does not make you our client. Receiving a reply from us does not make you our client.

A therapist–client relationship begins only when all three of the following have happened:

First, we have both signed or electronically accepted a written agreement to work together.

Second, we have scheduled your first appointment.

Third, we have given you our informed consent documents and practice policies, and you have had a chance to review them.

Until all three things happen, we owe you no clinical duty. We do not owe you a diagnosis. We do not owe you treatment. We do not owe you a referral. Please do not send us confidential clinical information through this website.

6. Your Counseling Services Are Governed by Separate Agreements

Your actual therapy is governed by separate documents, not by these Terms. Those documents include:

•  Our informed consent for treatment.

•  Our informed consent for telehealth, if you receive services by video or telephone.

•  Our Notice of Privacy Practices under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which is commonly called HIPAA.

•  Our practice policies covering fees, cancellations, communication, and records.

•  Any release of information form you sign.

•  Any specialized consent for couples, family, or sex therapy.

Those documents contain the details that matter most to your care. They explain your rights as a client. They explain how to withdraw consent. They explain how to file a grievance.

If there is ever a conflict between those documents and these website Terms about your therapy or your health information, those documents win. These Terms never reduce a right that those documents give you.

You may ask for copies of any of those documents at any time by emailing lauren@candidtherapyandcounseling.com.

7. Where We Are Licensed and Where We Can See You

Our clinicians are licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and in the State of New Jersey.

We may only provide counseling to a person who is physically located in Pennsylvania or in New Jersey at the time of the session. This rule applies to every type of session, including sessions held by video or by telephone.

If you travel to another state, we cannot see you while you are there. If you move to another state, we will need to discuss a referral to a clinician licensed in your new state. We will help you with that transition. We will not simply stop responding.

We cannot provide services to a person located outside the United States.

Please tell us where you are at the start of every session. We will ask. This is not a formality. It is how we keep our license and how we keep your care lawful.

We are a self-pay practice. We do not participate in Medicare or Medicaid. We do not receive federal grant funding. If that ever changes, we will update these Terms and will send clients the additional notices that federal law requires at that time.

8. Telehealth Sessions

We offer sessions by secure video and, in some cases, by telephone. The following rules apply to telehealth.

You must have a private space. You must be somewhere you can speak freely. If you cannot speak freely, please tell your clinician so we can adjust.

You must have a reliable connection. You need a device with a camera and microphone, and an internet connection strong enough for video. A phone can work if video is not possible.

You must have an emergency plan. Before your first telehealth session, we will ask for your exact physical address and the name and number of a person we can contact if there is an emergency during a session. We will also ask which hospital or crisis center is closest to you.

You must give us your physical address at the start of each session. We need to know where you are in case we need to send help.

You must tell us if anyone else is in the room. You must tell us if anyone else can hear the session. This includes a partner, a family member, a roommate, or a child.

Telephone sessions are more limited. We cannot see your face on a telephone session. We may miss important visual cues. We will discuss whether a telephone session is right for you on a given day.

There are technical risks. Video platforms can drop calls, freeze, or fail. Internet connections can fail. We will try to reconnect. If we cannot reconnect, we will follow up with you.

You may record a session only with written permission from your clinician. Please see Section 23 for the rules about recording.

9. Fees, Payment, and Good Faith Estimates

We are a self-pay practice. This means you pay us directly. We do not bill health insurance companies for our services.

Our fees. Our current fees are listed on our website and in our practice policies. We will also confirm our fee with you in writing before your first appointment. We will give you at least 30 days' written notice before we raise a fee.

How you pay. We accept the payment methods listed in our practice policies. We may ask you to keep a payment method on file. If we do, we will tell you in writing when we will charge it and for what.

When payment is due. Payment is due at the time of service unless we have agreed otherwise in writing.

Statements. We will send you a statement for any balance. If you believe a statement is wrong, please tell us. We will look into it and respond. We will not send an account to collections while a good-faith billing question is open, and we will not report an unpaid balance to a credit bureau without first giving you written notice and a chance to resolve it.

Good Faith Estimates. Because you pay out of pocket, federal law gives you the right to a written estimate of what your care will cost. This comes from the No Surprises Act. The estimate is called a Good Faith Estimate. Here is how it works.

You are entitled to a Good Faith Estimate if you do not have insurance, or if you have insurance but choose not to use it.

We will give you a written Good Faith Estimate when you schedule care, or when you ask for one. You can also ask for one at any time.

The estimate will list the expected services and the expected charges. It will include the expected number of sessions and the fee for each.

A Good Faith Estimate is valid for 12 months from the date on the estimate.

If you are billed more than the estimate. If you are billed at least $400 more than the amount on your Good Faith Estimate, you have the right to dispute the bill. Here is what to do. First, contact us. We would rather fix it ourselves. If we cannot resolve it, you may start a dispute with a Patient-Provider Dispute Resolution entity. You must start that dispute within 120 calendar days of the date on the bill.

There is no cost to you to start that dispute. You can find more information at www.cms.gov/nosurprises or by calling 1-800-985-3059.

Here is the limit of what we can promise. A Good Faith Estimate is an estimate, not a fixed price. Your actual charges may differ if the services you need turn out to be different from what we expected. We will not knowingly bill you more than the estimate without talking with you first.

Sliding scale. If you need a reduced fee, please ask. We would rather discuss it than have cost stop you from getting care.

10. Appointments, Cancellations, and Missed Sessions

Scheduling. We will schedule appointments with you by phone, by email, or through a scheduling tool.

Cancellations. Our cancellation policy is stated in our practice policies. In general, we ask for at least 24 hours' notice. We understand that emergencies happen. If you must cancel with short notice because of an emergency, please tell us. We will use good judgment.

Missed sessions. If you do not attend a scheduled session and you did not cancel in time, we may charge the fee described in our practice policies. Our practice policies describe any exceptions.

Late arrivals. If you arrive late, we may still end the session at the scheduled time. This keeps the following client's appointment on schedule.

Clinician cancellations. If we must cancel a session, we will tell you as soon as we can. We will offer you another time. We will not charge you for a session we cancelled.

Ending therapy. You may end therapy at any time. You do not owe us an explanation. We will offer you a closing session and referrals if you would like them. We ask that you tell us directly rather than simply not returning, so that we can be useful to you on the way out.

11. Recurring Charges, Packages, and Membership Payments

We may from time to time offer recurring payment arrangements. For example, we might offer a monthly fee for a set number of sessions. The following rules apply to any recurring charge.

We will tell you the terms before you agree. We will tell you the amount, the frequency, and the date of each charge. We will tell you how to cancel. We will get your clear agreement before the first charge.

We will remind you before a renewal. If you are on an arrangement that renews automatically, we will send you a reminder at least 15 days before each renewal. The reminder will state the amount and the renewal date.

You can cancel online. If you signed up for a recurring arrangement online, you can cancel it online. We will give you a direct link or button for that. You will not have to call us or write us a letter to cancel something you started online.

Cancelling is as easy as signing up. We will not design our cancellation process to be harder than our sign-up process.

Free trials and introductory offers. If we ever offer a free trial or a discounted introductory period, we will tell you the full price in advance and the date the full price begins.

What if you cancel partway through a month. We will not refund a partial period unless our practice policies say otherwise. If you have paid in advance for sessions you have not used, we will discuss a refund or credit with you.

We follow these rules because they are fair. We also follow them because New Jersey law regulates subscription renewals and online cancellation (N.J.S.A. 56:8-42.1), and because Pennsylvania has been considering similar legislation. We would rather meet the higher standard now than guess about the lower one.

12. Insurance and Out-of-Network Reimbursement

We do not bill insurance. We are not in network with any insurance plan. We are not enrolled with Medicare or Medicaid.

You may still have out-of-network benefits. Many plans reimburse a portion of the cost of a licensed therapist. If you want to seek reimbursement, we will give you a monthly statement called a superbill. A superbill lists the dates of service, the service codes, the diagnosis code, and the amount you paid.

What we cannot do. We cannot guarantee that your plan will reimburse you. We do not know the terms of your plan. We cannot complete your claim for you. We cannot appeal a denial for you.

What you should do. If you plan to seek reimbursement, please call your insurance company before your first session. Ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits and your deductible. We are happy to explain how a superbill works.

A caution about diagnosis codes. To give you a superbill, we must give you a mental health diagnosis. That diagnosis becomes part of your insurance record. Some people prefer to keep that information out of their insurance record and pay entirely out of pocket. That is your decision to make. Please make it with full information.

13. How You May Use This Website

You may use this website for lawful, personal purposes. You may print pages for your own use. You may share links to our pages.

You may not do any of the following.

You may not copy, republish, or sell our content without our written permission.

You may not scrape, crawl, or use automated tools to extract data from this website.

You may not attempt to break into, disrupt, overload, or interfere with this website or its security.

You may not upload viruses, malware, or any other harmful code.

You may not use this website to harass, threaten, or defame anyone, including our staff.

You may not impersonate another person or another practice.

You may not use this website to send us protected health information about someone else without legal authority to do so.

You may not use this website to seek emergency care, as we explain in Section 3.

You may not post reviews or comments on our behalf, or post false statements about our services.

If you break these rules, we may block your access to the website. We may also take legal action if the law allows it.

14. Your Privacy, Your Health Information, and Confidentiality

We are a covered entity under HIPAA. That means federal law governs how we handle your protected health information.

Our Notice of Privacy Practices controls your health information. Our Notice of Privacy Practices explains in detail how we use and share your health information. It explains your rights. It explains how to file a complaint. The Notice is a separate document, and we will give you a copy. These website Terms are not a substitute for the Notice.

The website contact form is not a secure place for clinical information. Please do not send symptoms, diagnoses, medical history, or other sensitive details through the website contact form or through ordinary email. Those channels are not encrypted end to end. We cannot control who else may see them at the other end.

Email and text messages have limits. We use email and text messaging for scheduling and administrative matters. We may discuss clinical matters by email or text only if you have signed a written consent for that. Even then, you should know that email and text messages can be forwarded, misaddressed, or read by someone else who has access to your device.

We may use a secure client portal. If we invite you to use a portal, the portal is the best place for clinical and billing messages. We will tell you how to log in and how to reset your password.

The website collects some technical information. Like most websites, ours may collect standard technical information such as your IP address, browser type, and the pages you visit. It may use cookies and similar tools to make the site work and to understand how it is used. It may use third-party tools such as analytics or advertising services. We do not use that information to make clinical decisions. Details are in our separate Website Privacy Policy.

We do not sell your personal information. We do not sell client lists. We do not sell health information. We do not share client information with marketers.

Your right to see your records. You have the right to inspect and receive a copy of your record. Just ask us in writing. We will respond within 30 days. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies, as the law allows. There is one exception. Psychotherapy notes, as HIPAA defines them, are not part of the record you have a right to access. That exclusion comes from 45 C.F.R. § 164.524(a)(1)(i). We separate those notes from the rest of your record on purpose, so that the rest stays accessible to you.

How long we keep records. We keep adult client records for at least seven years after our last contact. For a client who was a minor when we provided services, we keep the record until the client turns 21, or for seven years after our last service, whichever is later. We keep records longer if another law requires it. We destroy records securely when the retention period ends.

Security. We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information. No system is perfectly secure. We will notify you if a breach affects your information, as the law requires.

15. When We May Have to Share Information Without Your Permission

We keep what you tell us private. We would rather be clear with you now than have you learn this in a difficult moment. There are a small number of situations in which the law requires or permits us to share information without your permission. We describe each one below.

If we believe a child has been abused or neglected. Pennsylvania and New Jersey both require certain professionals to report suspected child abuse or neglect. In Pennsylvania, the Child Protective Services Law (23 Pa.C.S. § 6311) makes licensed health care professionals mandatory reporters. In New Jersey, the reporting requirement appears at N.J.S.A. 9:6-8.10. If we have reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect, we must report it. We do not have discretion here.

If we believe an older adult or a person with a disability has been abused, neglected, or exploited. Pennsylvania's Older Adults Protective Services Act requires reports of suspected abuse of adults 60 and older, and of certain younger adults with disabilities. New Jersey has comparable requirements. If we suspect abuse, we must report it.

If there is a serious risk of harm to you or to another person. We may need to act to keep you or someone else safe. That may mean contacting a family member, a physician, an emergency room, or law enforcement. It may mean arranging for a welfare check. It may mean contacting an intended victim directly. In Pennsylvania, this duty was recognized by the Supreme Court in Emerich v. Philadelphia Center for Human Development, Inc., 554 Pa. 209, 720 A.2d 1032 (1998). In New Jersey, the duty to warn and protect is set out in N.J.S.A. 2A:62A-16, which also grants immunity for disclosures made to discharge that duty. New Jersey law also requires us to notify the chief law enforcement officer of the town where the client lives when the duty is triggered.

If we believe you are at serious risk from suicidal thoughts. We may take steps to keep you safe. We will involve you in that decision whenever we safely can. Our first goal is always to keep you alive and to keep you involved in your own care.

If a court orders us to produce records. If a judge signs an order, we must comply with it. We will tell you if that happens, unless the order forbids us from telling you. Where the law gives us room to do so, we will ask the court to protect your privacy.

If you are a minor. Your parents or guardians may have a legal right to some information about your treatment. Section 18 explains this in more detail.

If you are in couples or family therapy. There are special rules about confidentiality in that setting. Section 16 explains them.

If you make a claim against us or we make a claim against you. We may need to use your record to defend ourselves. For example, if you file a malpractice claim, we will need to disclose records to our lawyer and insurer.

If you tell us about a crime that is about to occur. We may report it to protect someone.

If you are our client and you give us written permission. Then we will share what you asked us to share, to the people you named, for the length of time you set. You may revoke that permission in writing at any time.

We will always tell you when we have to break confidentiality. We will tell you what we are disclosing and to whom, unless a law or a court order prevents us from telling you. We will do this in the least intrusive way that still keeps people safe.

16. Therapy With Couples, Families, and More Than One Person

Couples therapy and family therapy work differently from individual therapy. The following rules apply whenever we treat more than one person together.

Our client is the relationship, not one individual. In couples therapy, our client is the couple. In family therapy, our client is the family unit. We do not take sides. We do not represent one participant against another.

We do not keep secrets between participants. In couples and family therapy, a secret told to the therapist undermines the therapy. If you tell us something in an individual session and ask us to keep it out of the joint sessions, we will not agree to do that. Instead, we will help you decide when and how to tell the other participants. We will be specific about this with you before we start. If you have never been told this rule, please ask us about it before your first joint session.

Records are joint records. The record of couples or family therapy belongs to the treatment. To release that record to anyone outside the treatment, we generally need written permission from every adult participant. If you are a participant, you may ask to see the record.

What happens if the relationship ends. If a couple separates or divorces, we will not automatically treat one former partner as our individual client. We will discuss the options and, if appropriate, provide referrals.

We do not do custody evaluations. We do not perform custody evaluations, parenting-capacity evaluations, or forensic assessments of any kind. We do not write letters recommending custody or parenting time arrangements. We are treating clinicians, not forensic evaluators. Accepting that role would be a conflict of interest.

We may be required to testify. If a court orders a therapist to appear in a custody or divorce case, the therapist must comply with lawful court orders. If that happens, please expect that we will tell the truth, that our records may become part of the case, and that the therapy relationship may be harmed by the process. This is one of the reasons we discourage clients from naming their therapist in litigation.

You may need permission to record or to bring a guest. Please ask before bringing another adult to a session. Please ask before recording any session.

17. Sex Therapy: What It Is and What It Is Not

Sex therapy is talk-based psychotherapy. It focuses on sexual concerns, intimacy, desire, identity, communication, and the ways those concerns affect a relationship. It is provided by licensed mental health professionals.

What sex therapy is not. Sex therapy is not medical care. It does not include a physical examination. It does not include any physical contact of a sexual nature, and it never will. It does not diagnose or treat the medical causes of sexual problems. Those causes can include hormonal changes, vascular conditions, pelvic floor issues, chronic illness, surgery, and medication side effects. Those causes need to be evaluated by a physician, nurse practitioner, or other medical provider.

We may ask you to see a medical provider. If we think a medical cause may be part of what you are experiencing, we will say so. We may ask you to see a physician, a urologist, a gynecologist, an endocrinologist, or a pelvic floor physical therapist. With your written permission, we will coordinate with that provider. We will explain why we are asking.

Sessions may cover explicit topics. Effective sex therapy sometimes involves direct, frank discussion about sexual practices, desires, and concerns. That discussion is clinical. It is conducted with professionalism and boundaries at all times.

Telehealth and privacy. If you attend sex therapy by video, please be alone in the room or use headphones. Please be somewhere you can speak freely. Please tell us if anyone can hear.

What we cannot do. We cannot prescribe medication. We cannot order laboratory tests. We cannot perform physical examinations. We cannot act as your medical provider.

If you are experiencing sexual violence or abuse. You are welcome here, and you set the pace. We will never require you to describe anything you do not want to describe. We will follow your lead. Please also know that our reporting obligations in Section 15 may apply.

18. Children, Teenagers, and Parents

We work with children, teenagers, and families. The following rules apply.

Consent. A parent or legal guardian must consent to treatment for a minor, except where Pennsylvania or New Jersey law allows a minor to consent on their own. Pennsylvania and New Jersey both allow minors to consent to some mental health services in some circumstances. If that applies to you, we will explain it to you.

We ask for both parents' involvement where possible. If parents share legal custody, we will ask for consent from both of them unless a court order says otherwise. If a court order governs, please give us a copy.

What parents are told. Parents and guardians ordinarily have the right to information about their child's treatment. That said, teenagers often need some privacy for therapy to work at all. Our general approach is this: we will tell parents what they need to know to keep their child safe and to support treatment. We will tell parents about the goals of treatment, the general progress, and any safety concerns. We may keep the details of what a teenager discusses private, when the teenager's safety is not at risk and when the law allows. We will explain our approach to you and your child at the start of treatment so nobody is surprised.

Safety always comes first. If a child or teenager is at risk of harm to themselves or to someone else, we will tell the parents or guardians. We will do it promptly. This is not negotiable.

If parents are separated or divorced. We need the legal documents that describe decision-making authority. Please give us a copy of any custody order or parenting plan. We will follow it.

Confidentiality for minors. A minor's record is protected. Where the law gives a parent a right of access, we will honor it. Where the law does not, we will explain why.

19. Our Content and Intellectual Property

This website and everything on it belong to Candid Therapy and Counseling, LLC or to parties who have licensed material to us. That includes the text, the layout, the graphics, the photographs, the logos, and the name "Candid Therapy and Counseling."

You may view, download, and print pages for your own personal, non-commercial use. You may share links to our pages.

You may not copy, modify, distribute, republish, or sell our content without our written permission. You may not use our name or our logo in a way that suggests we sponsor or endorse something we do not.

If you believe that something on this website infringes your copyright, please write to us at lauren@candidtherapyandcounseling.com and describe the material and the basis for your claim. We will respond promptly.

We own whatever we create in the course of our work. That includes our clinical forms and our written materials. It does not include your personal information, which belongs to you.

20. Third-Party Websites, Apps, and Tools

This website may link to other websites. It may also rely on third-party tools, such as a scheduling tool, a video platform, a payment processor, an electronic health record, or an analytics service. Those third parties are not under our control.

We link to other websites because they may be useful. A link is not an endorsement. We do not review the privacy practices or the accuracy of every site we link to.

If you use a third-party service, that service's own terms and privacy policy apply to you. Please read them. For example, your video platform and your payment processor each have their own rules.

We choose our vendors with care. We look for vendors that protect health information and that sign business associate agreements where the law requires one. We cannot promise that a vendor will never make a mistake.

21. No Promises About the Information on This Website

We work to keep this website accurate and up to date. Even so, we cannot promise that everything on it is complete, current, or correct. Mental health information changes. General information may not apply to your situation.

This website is provided "as is" and "as available." We do not promise that the website will always be available, uninterrupted, or free of errors.

We disclaim implied warranties to the extent the law allows. This includes implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. We also disclaim any warranty that the information on this website is accurate or reliable for your particular needs.

This section does not apply to clinical care. Nothing in this section limits any obligation we owe you as a treating clinician. Nothing in this section limits liability for professional negligence. Nothing in this section limits any right you have under Pennsylvania or New Jersey law that cannot be waived.

22. Limits on Our Liability

This section limits our liability for website-related claims. It does not limit our liability for clinical care.

To the fullest extent the law allows, we are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of your use of this website. That includes lost profits, lost data, and emotional distress arising from website use.

If we are found liable for a website-related claim, our total liability to you will not exceed one hundred dollars ($100).

This limit does not apply to any of the following:

•  Any claim of professional negligence, malpractice, or breach of the standard of care.

•  Any claim for personal injury.

•  Any claim involving gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct.

•  Any violation of a law that cannot be limited by agreement.

•  Any right of a consumer that Pennsylvania or New Jersey law does not allow to be waived.

Some states do not allow certain limitations of liability. If Pennsylvania or New Jersey law does not allow a limitation in this section, that limitation does not apply to you. The rest of the section still applies.

Why this section is written this way. We are a clinical practice. Most of what could go wrong between us would be a clinical issue, not a website issue. We do not want a website clause to be read as an attempt to limit responsibility for care. So we say it directly: it is not.

23. Recording Sessions, Messages, and Social Media

Recording sessions. You may not record a session without written permission from your clinician. If all participants in the session give written permission, we may agree. Pennsylvania and New Jersey are both all-party consent states for recording conversations. In Pennsylvania the rule is at 18 Pa.C.S. § 5703. In New Jersey it is at N.J.S.A. 2A:156A-4. Recording a session without everyone's consent can be a crime.

We do not record sessions. We do not make audio or video recordings of therapy sessions unless you ask us to and we both agree in writing. Our telehealth platform may keep technical logs, such as when a session started and ended.

Text messages. We use text messages for scheduling and reminders. Please do not send clinical content by text. Text messages are not secure.

Social media. We do not accept friend requests or connection requests from clients on personal social media accounts. This protects your privacy and keeps the boundaries of therapy clear. We do not provide therapy through social media. We do not respond to clinical messages sent through social media. If you contact us through social media about an emergency, we may not see it.

Reviews. You keep the right to post honest reviews of our practice. We do not ask you to give up that right. We do not offer anything of value in exchange for a review. We do not prohibit negative reviews. We may respond publicly to a review in a way that does not confirm that you are our client. Because we must protect your confidentiality, we may not be able to respond publicly at all. That silence is not an admission.

Photographs. We do not permit photographs or screenshots of sessions without written permission. Please do not photograph your clinician or other clients.

24. Resolving Disputes: Our Agreement to Arbitrate

Please read this section carefully. It affects your legal rights. It contains an agreement to arbitrate and a waiver of your right to a jury trial. Section 24(f) explains how to opt out.

24(a) Talk to Us First

If you have a problem with us, please tell us first. Email lauren@candidtherapyandcounseling.com. Describe the problem and tell us what outcome you are looking for. We will reply within 15 business days. We will try in good faith to resolve it. Most problems end here. We would like every problem to end here.

24(b) What This Section Covers

This section covers disputes about this website and about billing and payment for services. Examples include disputes about a fee, a cancellation charge, a statement, an unauthorized charge, your use of this website, or the meaning of these Terms.

24(c) What This Section Does Not Cover

This section does not cover the following matters. These matters are not subject to arbitration under these Terms, and you do not give up any rights in them by agreeing to these Terms.

It does not cover any claim about the quality of clinical care you received. It does not cover any claim of professional negligence or malpractice. It does not cover any claim of personal injury. It does not cover any claim about the therapy relationship.

It does not cover your right to file a complaint with a licensing board. You may always complain to the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors, or to the New Jersey State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners, or to the equivalent board that licenses your clinician. Nothing in these Terms limits that right.

It does not cover your right to file a complaint with a government agency, including the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, or the United States Department of Justice.

It does not cover any claim that the law does not allow to be arbitrated.

It does not cover a small claim that you file in small claims court, if the claim qualifies for that court and stays there.

24(d) The Agreement to Arbitrate

If a dispute is covered by Section 24(b) and we cannot resolve it informally, either of us may ask for it to be decided by binding arbitration instead of in court.

This means you and we both give up the right to have that dispute decided by a judge or a jury in court. We both give up the right to a jury trial. We both give up the right to appeal the arbitrator's decision except on the narrow grounds the law allows.

Arbitration is a private process. A neutral arbitrator decides the dispute. The arbitrator is not a judge. The arbitrator applies the same law a court would apply. The arbitrator may award the same remedies a court could award.

We will use a recognized arbitration provider and follow its consumer rules. We will pay the arbitration filing fee and the arbitrator's fee for a consumer claim, up to the limits the provider's consumer rules set. If you cannot afford your share, tell us, and we will work it out. We will not let cost keep you out of the process.

The arbitration will be held in the county where you live, or by telephone or video if you prefer.

The Federal Arbitration Act governs this section. Pennsylvania law governs the underlying dispute, except where New Jersey law must apply to a New Jersey consumer claim.

You may bring a claim in arbitration as an individual. You may not bring it as part of a class.

24(e) Waiver of Class Actions

To the fullest extent the law allows, you and we agree that each may bring claims against the other only in an individual capacity. You and we each agree not to bring a claim as a plaintiff or a class member in a class action, a collective action, or a representative action.

If a court decides that this class action waiver is not enforceable as to a particular claim, then that claim will proceed in court and not in arbitration. The rest of this section will still apply to any other claim.

24(f) How to Opt Out of This Section

You may opt out of Section 24 entirely. If you opt out, no part of Section 24 applies to you.

To opt out, send us a written notice within 30 days of the date you first agreed to these Terms. Send it to lauren@candidtherapyandcounseling.com. Use the subject line "Arbitration Opt-Out." Include your name, your address, and a clear statement that you are opting out of arbitration under Section 24.

Opting out will not affect your care. We will not refuse to treat you. We will not treat you differently. We will not charge you more. We will not delay scheduling. This is a genuine choice, and we mean it.

24(g) Severability of This Section

If any part of Section 24 is found to be unenforceable, the rest of Section 24 will still apply, except as stated in Section 24(e).

24(h) A Note About Why This Section Is Limited

We want to be candid with you. Many medical and mental health organizations, including the American Medical Association, have taken the position that patients should not be required to give up their right to court before treatment begins. The law in this area is also unsettled in some respects, and some courts have refused to enforce pre-treatment arbitration provisions in health care settings.

We have responded to that by narrowing this section. We have carved out clinical care entirely. We have carved out licensing boards and government agencies. We have given you a free and easy way to opt out. If you would prefer that this section not exist at all, we would rather you opt out than feel trapped.

25. Your Rights Under Pennsylvania Law

The following provisions apply to consumers in Pennsylvania. They are for your benefit. We cannot ask you to give them up, and we would not.

Plain Language Consumer Contract Act. This agreement is a consumer contract under the Plain Language Consumer Contract Act (73 P.S. §§ 2201 through 2213). Under Section 10 of that Act, a consumer cannot waive the rights the Act gives them. Any waiver is void, not just voidable. We therefore do not ask you to waive anything under that Act. We have tried to comply with it, in good faith, by writing in plain language, by using short sentences, by captioning each section in bold type, and by avoiding legal jargon.

Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. The Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (73 P.S. §§ 201-1 through 201-9.2) prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in trade or commerce. Nothing in these Terms limits your rights under that law. If you believe we have engaged in an unfair or deceptive practice, you may bring a private action under 73 P.S. § 201-9.2. You may also complain to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Alternative dispute resolution and your rights. If you and we agree to arbitrate a dispute, that agreement does not waive any substantive right you have under Pennsylvania law. It changes only the forum in which the dispute is heard.

Your right to complain to a licensing board. You may complain at any time to the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors. Nothing in these Terms limits that right. A licensing complaint is not subject to Section 24.

Your right to your records. Your rights to access your records are described in Section 14.

Your right to sue in court. Except for claims you have agreed to arbitrate under Section 24, you may bring suit in a court of competent jurisdiction in Pennsylvania. If you are a Pennsylvania consumer, you may bring suit in the county where you reside, subject to the normal rules of venue.

Mental health confidentiality. Pennsylvania law provides additional protections for mental health records. The Mental Health Procedures Act, at 50 P.S. § 7111, restricts the release of records relating to mental health treatment. Pennsylvania also recognizes a privilege for confidential communications to psychiatrists and licensed psychologists under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5944. These protections are in addition to HIPAA. Nothing in these Terms reduces them.

Professional liability. The Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act, 40 P.S. §§ 1303.101 through 1303.910, includes procedural rules that apply to professional liability actions in Pennsylvania. Nothing in these Terms is intended to alter those rules.

No waiver of consumer rights. If any provision of these Terms is found to waive a right that Pennsylvania law does not allow to be waived, that provision will not apply to you. The rest of these Terms will remain in effect.

26. Your Rights Under New Jersey Law

The following provisions apply to consumers in New Jersey.

Plain Language Act. This agreement is a consumer contract under the New Jersey Plain Language Act (N.J.S.A. 56:12-1 through 56:12-13). That Act asks consumer contracts to be written in a simple, clear, understandable, and easily readable way as a whole. It also asks that sections be logically divided and captioned, that a table of contents be used for contracts over 3,000 words, and that conditions and exceptions be given prominence equal to the main promise. We have included a table of contents for that reason. We have tried to comply with the Act in good faith.

Truth in Consumer Contract, Warranty and Notice Act. The Truth in Consumer Contract, Warranty and Notice Act (N.J.S.A. 56:12-14 through 56:12-18) prohibits a consumer contract from stating that a consumer waives a clearly established legal right or that a seller has a right or remedy it does not have. We have tried to make sure that nothing in these Terms overstates our rights or understates yours. If any provision of these Terms is found to violate that Act, that provision will not be enforced against you. We do not intend to claim any right we do not have.

Consumer Fraud Act. The New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (N.J.S.A. 56:8-1 through 56:8-20) prohibits unconscionable commercial practices, deception, fraud, and misrepresentation. Nothing in these Terms limits your rights under that Act. You may bring a private action under N.J.S.A. 56:8-19. You may also complain to the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.

Your right to complain to a licensing board. You may complain at any time to the New Jersey State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners, or to the committee or board that licenses your clinician. A licensing complaint is not subject to Section 24.

Your right to be free from discrimination. The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 through 10:5-49) prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation on the basis of many protected characteristics, including disability. You may complain to the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights. Our accessibility commitments are described in our separate Accessibility Statement.

Duty to warn and protect. N.J.S.A. 2A:62A-16 sets out a mental health professional's duty to warn and protect, and grants immunity for disclosures made to discharge that duty. We describe how we handle safety concerns in Section 15.

Online cancellation of subscriptions. If we offer any recurring payment arrangement that you began online, you may cancel it online. N.J.S.A. 56:8-42.1 supports that expectation for subscription services. Our commitment is described in Section 11.

Your right to sue in court. Except for claims you have agreed to arbitrate under Section 24, you may bring suit in a court of competent jurisdiction in New Jersey. If you are a New Jersey consumer, you may bring suit in the county where you reside, subject to the normal rules of venue. We will not remove a consumer claim to a distant forum in order to make it hard for you to pursue.

No waiver of consumer rights. If any provision of these Terms is found to waive a right that New Jersey law does not allow to be waived, or to violate the Truth in Consumer Contract, Warranty and Notice Act, that provision will not apply to you. The rest of these Terms will remain in effect.

27. Governing Law and Where Cases Are Heard

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, without regard to its conflict of law rules.

For a consumer claim brought by a New Jersey resident, New Jersey law will apply to the extent New Jersey law requires it. Nothing in this section overrides a consumer protection right that New Jersey law gives you.

Section 24 is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act.

Subject to Section 24 and to the venue rights described in Sections 25 and 26, the state and federal courts sitting in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania have jurisdiction over disputes arising out of these Terms. You and we both consent to venue there, except where a consumer protection statute gives you the right to sue elsewhere.

The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply.

28. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time.

If we make a minor change. We will post the new version with a new effective date. The new version applies from the date it is posted.

If we make a material change. We will post the new version and we will give you notice. We will notice material changes by email to clients and by a prominent notice on the website. We will give you at least 30 days' notice before a material change takes effect.

Continuing to use the website after a change means you accept the new version. If you do not accept a new version, please stop using the website and tell us.

Changes never apply retroactively to a clinical dispute. A change to these Terms does not change the terms of any informed consent you already signed.

We keep prior versions on file. You may ask for a copy of any prior version by emailing lauren@candidtherapyandcounseling.com.

29. Ending Your Use of This Website

You may stop using this website at any time. You do not need our permission.

We may suspend or end your access to this website if you break these Terms, if we reasonably believe your use creates a risk to anyone, or if we discontinue the website.

If we end your access to the website, that does not automatically end your therapy. If we end your therapy, that does not automatically remove your access to the website. Those are separate decisions. We will tell you clearly if we are ending a clinical relationship, and we will follow the ethical and legal requirements for termination and referral.

Sections 14, 15, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, and 27 survive the end of these Terms. They continue to apply after you stop using the website.

30. If One Part of These Terms Is Not Enforceable

If a court or an arbitrator finds that one part of these Terms is not enforceable, that part will be removed or narrowed as little as possible. The rest of these Terms will continue in full force.

If removing a part would defeat the purpose of the whole agreement, we will treat that part as severed and the rest as surviving.

Section 24(e) has its own rule, which appears in that section.

31. The Whole Agreement Between Us

These Terms, together with the documents listed in Section 6, make up the whole agreement between you and us about this website and about the subject matter covered here.

These Terms replace any earlier version.

Our failure to enforce a provision of these Terms on one occasion is not a waiver of that provision. We may enforce it later.

You may not transfer your rights under these Terms without our written permission. We may transfer our rights to a successor practice or to another clinician, but only if the successor agrees to honor these Terms and to protect your records.

A person who is not a party to these Terms has no right to enforce them, except that our successors and assigns may do so.

Nothing in these Terms creates a partnership, a joint venture, or an employment relationship between you and us.

32. Contacting Us

We want it to be easy to reach us.

General questions about these Terms, and all Opt-Out notices: lauren@candidtherapyandcounseling.com

Privacy questions and requests about your health information: lauren@candidtherapyandcounseling.com

Accessibility requests and reports: lauren@candidtherapyandcounseling.com. Please see our separate Accessibility Statement for details and for response timelines.

Billing questions: lauren@candidtherapyandcounseling.com

Scheduling changes: Please use the scheduling tool on our website, or email us.

Complaints about care: Please tell your clinician directly, and also email us. If you prefer, you may use the grievance procedure in our Notice of Privacy Practices or in our practice policies.

Mailing address: 128 Chestnut Street, Suite 200G, Philadelphia PA 19106

Telephone: (215) 253 - 7905

Please do not use any of these channels for emergencies. For emergencies, call 988 or 911.

Acknowledgement. By using www.candidtherapyandcounseling.com, you confirm that you have read these Terms of Service, that you understand them, and that you agree to them.

If you are in crisis, this is not the document you need. Please call or text 988, or call 911.