Unless we explicitly agree otherwise, our email exchange is confidential. Any personal information you choose to share with me will be held in the strictest confidence. Just as for my face to face clients, I will not release your information to anyone without your prior approval, or I am required to do so by law. In Maryland, we are required to notify authorities if we become convinced a client is about to physically harm someone; or if they are abusing, or about to abuse, children, the elderly, or the disabled.

You agree that our email exchange occurs in the state of Maryland, (USA), and is governed by the laws of that state. In a manner of speaking, you use the information super-highway to visit me in my Maryland office... where we meet to do our work.

Helping you build the life you want is what our exchange is all about and we should not continue any process that is counter-productive in that respect. Either of us is free to terminate our relationship at any time and for any reason. In that event, any unused funds will be promptly returned to you. If you decide to terminate, I believe it would be to your benefit to drop me a short note stating the reasons for your leaving. There would, of course, be no charge for such a note. In the unlikely event I become convinced our email exchange is not in your best interests (see below), I will explain that to you and suggest some alternative options better suited to your needs.

While e-therapy is a great way to get help with many of life's problems, overwhelming or potentially dangerous challenges are best met with face-to-face professional support. You understand that our email exchange is neither a universal substitute for, nor the same as, face to face psychotherapy treatment. You accept the distinctions made in the Headworks e-therapy essentials section contrasting e-therapy and face to face psychotherapy. In particular, you accept that e-therapy does not provide emergency services. Because an email exchange lacks sufficient information to yield a meaningful mental health diagnosis, you accept responsibility for assessing your mental health needs. If you are currently receiving psychotherapy you are responsible for discussing the advisability of participation here with your therapist.

You are responsible for information security on your computer. If you decide to keep copies of our emails on your computer, it's up to you to keep that information secure. Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee the security of our emails as they travel between our computers. It is possible, though unlikely, to intercept emails in transit. If you are concerned about that possibility, please consider the option to encrypt our emails. Even if someone were to intercept an encrypted email, they would not be able to read the encoded message.

Our email exchange is a means by which you, the e-client, can receive information and guidance from an experienced psychologist. It is perhaps most accurately perceived as a process creating, over time, a highly individualized self-help book specifically designed to address topics in which you are interested. In our collaboration, you retain the right to determine which topics we cover and the depth of consideration each receives. In other words, as an e-client, you are free to contribute or withhold any information you choose. Moreover, you are under no obligation to apply information and/or opinions I contribute to our email exchange. While it is hoped you will find our exchange useful in your efforts to help yourself and improve your life, it is not possible to guarantee that; despite the ever-increasing positive feedback from e-clients, email therapy is best considered experimental... until it's efficacy has been validated scientifically.

There are no other explicit or implied commitments in our email relationship.