terms and conditions

terms & conditions

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table of contents

Counselling and therapy

We value our clients & psychologists alike and want our clients to make the most out of the time in every session. For this, the client’s attendance is important and we have strict policy against frequent absenteeism or late-coming. All clients must be well versed with the Terms & Conditions that have been written keeping in mind the best interest of the clients. By making a booking or payment (on our website, Practo, phone, email or through any other medium) clients imply that they agree to these Terms & Conditions, which are as follows:

  1. Clients who come in late for the appointment, will get only the remaining time of the session. The payment will remain that of one hour.
  2. In case, the client wants to extend their session, the extension is subject to availability of the psychologist.
  3. In case, the client wants to take up more than 5-10 minutes of the next session, this is subject to additional charges, as per session rates.
  4. 24 Hour Cancellation Policy: If a client wishes to cancel their appointment, they must do so at least 24 hours prior to the appointment time. Any cancellation done after that will be chargeable amounting to fees for one session. The client must make this payment before their next session at Karma.
  5. Suicide, or ending one’s own life, is a tragic event with strong emotional repercussions for its survivors & for families of its victims. Every therapist’s attempt is to prevent such an unfortunate event from occurring. However, it is an impulsive act & under such unpredictable circumstances, a therapist or Karma Center for Counselling & Wellbeing cannot be held liable for it. It is important to note that Karma Center is not a crisis intervention center & therefore does not provide emergency services. Services are rendered only during the scheduled sessions. Clients who have an emergency must use local & available emergency resources’.
  6. Everything that happens in our therapy session remains confidential between us, with the following exceptions:
    • We will discuss aspects of our work in supervision with another qualified clinical psychologist, but your identity will remain protected.
    • When required by law, which is very rare, we may contact another medical professional and/or your emergency contact if we believe you are likely to cause serious injury to yourself or others. We may do this without consultation with you if you are not in a position to discuss other options with me.
    • The administration & Practo will have your name & number for the purposes of scheduling.
  7. Confidentiality is of utmost important in the field of psychology and it’s practice and we value it immensely in our organization as well. However, we would like to inform you that all the details that the client mentions on the website forms will be handled by administration. Because our administration has to maintain records and appointments- they do have access to the names and contact information of the client. Confidentiality however, is assured when it comes to the therapeutic space and what all you discuss with your psychologist.
  8. Therapists at Karma reserve the right to discontinue therapy owing to their mental health and sense of security. Any person in the center who displays lewd or indecent behavior or makes the staff feel uncomfortable or unsafe will be asked to leave the premises.

Web based services

  1. Since it is an internet based tele-mental health service it is imperative to know that complete confidentiality may not be ensured due to logistical limitations. However, as a part of our ethical practice, it will be our attempt to strive for complete confidentiality. Feel free to further address this with the psychologist during the session.
  2. A thorough informed consent at the start of services shall be performed.
  3. The consent will include all information contained in the consent process for therapeutic care including discussion of the structure and timing of services, record keeping, scheduling, privacy, potential risks, confidentiality, mandatory reporting, and billing. In addition, the informed consent process will include information specific to the nature of video call/telephonic conversation. The information shall be provided in language that can be easily understood by the client.
  4. The following will be addressed with the client : the potential for technical failure, procedures for coordination of care with other professionals; a protocol for contact between sessions; and conditions under which telemental health services may be terminated and a referral made to in-person care.
  5. The consent will either be taken through electronic signatures, manually signed printout of the consent form, or a verbal consent obtained during the session from the client.
  6. In event of equipment failure or technical glitches, the session timings will be adjusted and no extra charges shall be incurred. This can further be discussed with your psychologist.
  7. In case, the client wants to extend their session, the extension is subject to availability of the psychologist. In case, the client wants to take up more than 5-10 minutes of the next session, this is subject to additional charges, as per session rates.
  8. 24 Hour Cancellation Policy: If a client wishes to cancel their appointment, they must do so at least 24 hours prior to the appointment time. Any cancellation done after that will be chargeable amounting to fees for one session. The client must make this payment before their next session at Karma.
  9. Psychologists shall maintain an electronic record for each patient for whom they provide remote services. Such a record will include an assessment, client identification information, contact information, history, treatment plan, informed consent, and information about fees and billing.

Training & Internship SOP

1. Punctuality:

  • Participants must log in or arrive at the center at least 5 minutes before the scheduled class time.
  • Accurate login/logout timings are essential to ensure the correct calculation of internship hours.
 

2. Attendance and Participation:

  • For online classes, your video must remain switched on throughout the session for attendance to be recorded.
  • Please refrain from attending classes while traveling or commuting.
  • Attendance will be recorded only for full sessions attended; leaving class early will affect your total logged hours.
 

3. Confidentiality:

  • Maintain confidentiality regarding personal experiences shared in class.
  • Obtain explicit permission before taking photos, screenshots, or video recordings during classes.
  • You may encounter clients attending counseling sessions at Karma Care. You are required to maintain strict confidentiality and not discuss their identities externally, adhering to professional standards in mental health practice.
 

4. Assignment Submission:

  • Timely submission of assignments is mandatory.
  • Late submissions or failure to submit assignments will affect your internship hours.
 

5. Compensation for Missed Hours:

  • If you miss class hours due to absence, early logout, or incomplete assignments, which affects the minimum number of hours you wish to be reflected on your certificate, compensation is available under these conditions:
    • The first 2 hours missed can be compensated complimentary by Karma Care at no additional cost.
    • Additional compensation beyond the first 2 hours will incur extra charges. Please contact the front desk for pricing.
    • Compensation may include additional classes, assignments, or other relevant tasks; however, repeating the exact missed topic is not guaranteed.
    • Karma Care offers compensation as a discretionary concession and is not obligated to provide it.
 

6. Additional University Requirements and Student Requests:

  • Requests communicated before registration and agreed upon by Karma Care will be considered but not guaranteed unless explicitly stated on our website or brochure.
  • Additional demands or requests (e.g., extra case studies, assessments) will not be accommodated once the internship has commenced.
  • After completion of your tenure, Karma Care will not fulfill any previously missed requirements or requests.
  • All additional requirements must be formally requested via email at [email protected]. Verbal or telephonic communications will not be considered as formal agreements.
 

7. Conduct During Classes:

  • Give your full attention to classes. Avoid using mobile phones for calls or messaging during sessions.
  • Movement within corridors or entry into therapy rooms without prior permission is prohibited.
 

8. Field Visits:

  • The timings of field visit are confirmed by the hosting organisation and would not be same as the class timings of the internship. Kindly make prior arrangements to ensure your presence for these visits.
  • Field visit are also inclusive of hours provided and missing the visit will result in deduction of the specific hours from certificate.
  • Due to the dynamic nature of these partnerships, field visits cannot be guaranteed for every training batch.
  • If a field visit cannot be arranged, Karma Care will strive to organize guest sessions with external facilitators or provide opportunities to attend field visits organized for future batches.
  • Training & Internships conducted in online mode would not consist of any field visit or equivalent external session.
  • Participants must arrange their own transportation for any such visits.
 

9. Client Interaction:

  • Participants will not interact with, conduct sessions with, or observe client sessions, in line with Karma Care’s ethical standards.
 

10. Inclusivity and Respect:

  • Karma Care is a queer and trans-affirmative organization. Any discriminatory behavior or disrespect toward individuals or groups will result in immediate removal from the internship without any partial or full refund.
 

11. Certificates:

  • Certificates will accurately reflect attended hours. Requests for exaggerated or incorrect hours or dates will not be entertained.
  • Certificates (digital or physical) must be collected within 15 days of internship completion. Karma Care is not liable to issue certificates after this period.
  • Physical certificates must be collected from our Vasant Vihar office. We do not provide courier services.
  • Participants may select either a digital or physical certificate, not both.
 

12. Letter of Recommendation:

  • Training-based internships do not qualify for Letters of Recommendation.
  • Since these training-based internships do not require professional engagement with Karma Care, we do not provide any employment confirmations or offer letters
 

13. General Guidelines:

  • Ensure doors and windows remain closed at all times to prevent our resident cat, Gona, from leaving the premises.
  • Participants must accurately record their attendance timings.
  • Logging attendance for other participants is strictly prohibited.
  • Ordering food or beverages during class hours is discouraged.
 

14. Media Consent:

  • Photos and videos may be captured during sessions by our team members. If you prefer not to be featured, please inform us in advance.
 

15. Contact Information:

Your cooperation ensures a positive, professional, and productive learning environment for all participants