Charter of Rights

When seeing a psychologist in Australia, your rights are underpinned by both professional codes of conduct and broader consumer and human rights laws. Your rights are defined by the Psychology Board of Australia’s Code of Ethics and the standards maintained by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

1. The Right to Dignity and Respect

You have the right to be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness regardless of your cultural background, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or personal beliefs. Psychologists are ethically bound to provide services that are free from discrimination.

2. The Right to Informed Consent

Before treatment begins, your psychologist must ensure you understand:

• The nature of the service: What the therapy involves, the expected outcomes, and the limitations of the treatment.

• Fees and billing: Clear information about the cost of sessions, cancellation policies, and how payments are processed.

• Privacy and confidentiality: How your personal information will be handled, stored, and who (if anyone) it might be shared with.

• Risks: Any potential risks or side effects associated with the therapy.

3. The Right to Confidentiality and Privacy

Privacy is a cornerstone of the psychologist-client relationship. Your personal information, clinical notes, and session details are confidential. However, there are legal exceptions to this, which your psychologist should discuss with you during your first session. Confidentiality may be broken only if:

• There is an immediate risk of harm to yourself or someone else.

• The information is required by a court of law or legal subpoena.

• You have provided specific, written consent for information to be shared (e.g., with your GP or a family member).

• Mandatory reporting requirements are triggered (e.g., regarding the welfare of a child).

4. The Right to Choose and Withdraw

You have the right to:

• Choose your provider: You can select which psychologist you see.

• Withdraw consent: You have the right to stop therapy at any time, for any reason, without feeling coerced or pressured to continue.

• Seek a second opinion: You are free to ask for a second opinion or to change to a different practitioner if you feel the current one is not a good fit.

5. The Right to Professionalism and Competence

You have the right to expect that your psychologist:

• Is registered: They must be registered with AHPRA. You can verify this via the AHPRA website.

• Maintains professional boundaries: A psychologist should not engage in dual relationships (e.g., being your friend or business partner) or inappropriate physical contact.

• Operates within their scope of practice: They should only treat conditions they are qualified and trained to handle. If your needs fall outside their expertise, they have an ethical duty to refer you to a more appropriate specialist.

6. What to do if you have a concern

If you feel your rights have been violated, or you are unhappy with the service you received, you have the right to:

• Speak with the psychologist directly: Often, concerns can be resolved through open communication.

• Lodge a complaint: If you feel the issue is serious or cannot be resolved, you can contact the Health Complaints Commissioner in your state or territory, or lodge a notification with AHPRA.

Disclaimer: This information is for general educational purposes. If you are in immediate distress or crisis, please contact emergency services (000 in Australia) or a crisis support service such as Lifeline (13 11 14).