Counseling Consent Form

Who needs to complete a counseling consent form?

Legally, almost every single healthcare professional must obtain their patients’ informed consent before treatment commences. Counselors, alternative therapists, and psychologists must have their patients complete an informed consent form before working with them. 

In some cases, group counseling consent forms may be completed by several persons — for example, in marital or family counseling. 

Anyone seeking mental health treatment of any kind will likely need to complete one of these documents.

Therefore, providing straightforward online consent forms that patients can fill out before coming to the office allows mental health providers to make their treatment more accessible. 

What is a counseling consent form used for?

A consent form is a legal document that records a patient’s agreement to a proposed treatment plan.

Mental health providers require these documents before offering treatment to a patient. The goal is to ensure that the patient understands how they will be treated and any potential consequences. 

In other words, a properly written consent form acts as a legally robust document that can protect you and your clients from legal liability. 

Patients can also refer to their consent forms to find essential details about their rights to privacy, confidentiality, and the particulars of their treatment. A thorough consent form functions as both a form of legal protection and a reference document for the future. 

What should a counseling consent form include?

A sample informed consent form for counseling might include:

• Description of the treatment: Any medical consent form must describe what kind of treatment will be provided so patients understand what they are agreeing to. 
• Patient-provider relationship rules: The relationship between counselors and their patients requires clear boundaries to remain healthy. Outlining the relationship rules puts these boundaries in place from the beginning. It gives the patient an idea of what to expect. 
• Confidentiality clause: Counselors hear many personal details of patients’ lives. The confidentiality clause explains the rules of privacy and confidentiality to which counselors are held, along with the circumstances that would compel them to break confidentiality. 
• Side-effects and risks: Outlining the potential risks of treatment acts similarly to a waiver, where the patient agrees to treatment while being informed. 
• Patient name and signature: The patient’s signature is what identifies the document as legally binding. 
• Patient caretaker name and signature: A counseling informed consent form for minors must include a field where their caretaker can agree to their treatment. 
• Counselor name and signature: Once the patient has signed the document, the counselor must sign it in order to complete the agreement between the two parties.