Most businesses can respond to online reviews: to say thank you, to resolve a problem, or clarify an issue. Mental health providers must provide confidentiality to clients. We can’t tell others you have sought treatment at Alkira. This protects client privacy and health information.
This means that we are ethically unable to respond to reviews of our businesses, because of the possibility that our response might somehow acknowledge that an individual, couple, or family has been a client of ours. We cannot address specific complaints or reference any remedies we have offered.
When someone uses an online review of a therapist to express how they feel, they should keep in mind that they are publicly waiving not just their own privacy and confidentiality, but potentially other family members’ privacy. Direct communication of happiness or dissatisfaction in any relationship, personal and professional, is best.
Reviews are not based on medical information such as diagnoses, safety, number of visits, changes in situations and issues, payment issues, and other factors. They are typically based on one person’s happiness or unhappiness about a therapy relationship; they also may reflect a person’s feelings about the outcome in their relationship, family, or work situation.
We almost always follow our clients’ lead regarding exploring options for life decisions, based on their values. Your life is yours-you are the expert and author of it. We offer what we know from our education, training and experience. The only exception to this is if a client or family member in a family system is unsafe or harming another. We spend an hour every week or two with our clients, and could never know what is best for them-they live their lives every minute of every day, and we trust what they know about themselves.
We value and invite direct feedback to us-we use a therapy approach that includes periodic assessment during treatment with clients about their satisfaction. We want to know what is working and what might not be. We understand that sometimes it can be hard to communicate needs at the time of therapy. If you are or have been a client of Alkira’s your satisfaction will always be important to us. If a client is unhappy with any aspect of their treatment and uncomfortable talking directly with their therapist, they are encouraged to speak with Jill Weldum or Efrain Agama. Please email alkiratherapy@gmail.com or call the main number: 315-492-1390.
The results of great therapy are often invisible to others. If you are happy with your experience let your therapist know, and feel free to refer others-that is the best review!!.