Client Policies & Information

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Welcome to Riverside Counseling.

Starting therapy is an important step. My goal is to provide a compassionate, respectful, and clinically grounded environment where you can feel safe enough to be honest, challenged enough to grow, and supported as you work toward meaningful change.

I believe therapy should be both compassionate and purposeful. You will be treated with respect and without judgment, while also being encouraged to take an active role in your healing and progress.

Your psychotherapy is provided by Anna Bankey, MSW, LICSW, Clinical Mental Health Therapist, founder and owner of Riverside Counseling.

My clinical role includes:

• Diagnostic assessment
• Treatment planning
• Individual psychotherapy
• Clinical documentation
• Progress monitoring
• Coordination of care when appropriate
• Referrals when a different or higher level of care is indicated

Treatment is individualized based on your needs, goals, strengths, clinical presentation, and circumstances. Depending on your needs, treatment may incorporate EMDR, Brainspotting, somatic and nervous-system approaches, CBT, ACT, attachment-based interventions, mindfulness, solution-focused therapy, and other clinically appropriate approaches.

Riverside Counseling is an independent practice. Soul Work provides administrative infrastructure and support services for my practice. This arrangement allows me to focus primarily on clinical care, treatment, and required clinical documentation, while Soul Work assists with administrative functions:

• Client portal
• Scheduling support
• Insurance verification
• Insurance claims
• Billing
• Payment processing
• Administrative communication
• Related bookkeeping and administrative functions

Your therapy is provided by Riverside Counseling. 

Please use the secure portal whenever possible for sensitive information rather than ordinary email or text messaging.

What you share during therapy is treated as confidential and protected under applicable federal and Minnesota law. Information generally will not be released without your written authorization except when disclosure is permitted or required by law.

Exceptions may include circumstances involving:

• Required reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect
• Required reporting of suspected vulnerable-adult abuse or neglect
• Serious and imminent risk of harm to yourself or another person
• Certain medical emergencies
• Valid court orders or other legal requirements
• Appropriate professional consultation or supervision
• Other circumstances permitted or required by law

If you are a minor, confidentiality and the rights of parents or legal guardians will be discussed as part of treatment.

Audio or video recording of therapy sessions is not permitted without appropriate informed consent.

Email and text messaging are convenient for scheduling and brief administrative communication but cannot be guaranteed to provide the same level of confidentiality as secure systems. Please avoid sending highly sensitive clinical information through ordinary text messages or email. By choosing to communicate electronically, you acknowledge the inherent security limitations of electronic communication.

Riverside Counseling provides secure telehealth services when clinically appropriate.

Clients participating in telehealth are responsible for having a reasonably private location and appropriate technology for the session. Telehealth-specific consent and procedures will be reviewed as part of the intake process.

Riverside Counseling is an outpatient psychotherapy practice and is not an emergency or crisis-response service.

If you are experiencing an immediate life-threatening emergency:

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

You may also:

Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Please do not rely on email, text messages, the client portal, or a routine therapy appointment for emergency assistance.

Your scheduled appointment time is reserved specifically for you.

Please arrive on time. Late arrival generally does not extend the scheduled appointment time.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, 24 hours' notice is required.

A $100 late-cancellation fee may apply when less than 24 hours' notice is provided.

A $150 no-show fee may apply when a client does not attend a scheduled appointment without appropriate notice.

Repeated missed appointments or late cancellations may result in changes to scheduling availability.

Please do not come into the office when you are experiencing a contagious illness or other condition that could place others at risk. Contact Riverside Counseling as soon as possible. When clinically appropriate, telehealth or rescheduling may be available.

Therapy is a collaborative process.

Clients are encouraged to:

• Attend scheduled appointments.
• Participate actively in treatment.
• Communicate honestly.
• Ask questions.
• Share concerns when something does not feel helpful.
• Participate in treatment planning.
• Practice appropriate skills between sessions.
• Notify the practice of changes in contact or insurance information.
• Seek emergency assistance when needed.

There is no universal number of sessions that works for everyone.

Some concerns may respond to a shorter course of therapy, while trauma, addiction, longstanding patterns, significant mental-health concerns, or other complex issues may require longer-term treatment. Progress will be evaluated throughout treatment, and goals can be adjusted as your needs change. Therapy does not guarantee a particular outcome.

Riverside Counseling maintains clinical documentation as required by applicable law, professional standards, and insurance requirements. Your therapist is responsible for completing clinical documentation related to your care, including diagnostic assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, and other required clinical records. Administrative and billing personnel may access information necessary to perform legitimate administrative, insurance, payment, or billing functions as permitted by law. Clients may request access to their records as permitted by applicable law.

Riverside Counseling provides therapeutic services rather than forensic services.

Riverside Counseling does not provide:

• Custody evaluations
• Parenting-time or visitation recommendations
• Disability determinations
• Legal opinions
• Forensic evaluations
• Services intended primarily to create evidence for litigation
• Expert-witness services unless separately agreed upon and clinically appropriate

If legal proceedings arise during your treatment, please discuss the situation with your therapist as early as possible. Requests involving extensive record review, attorney conferences, depositions, court appearances, testimony, or other legal-related services may involve additional fees when legally and ethically permissible.

As a client receiving professional mental-health services, you have the right to:

1. Receive services from a qualified and appropriately licensed professional.
2. Be informed of your therapist's professional credentials.
3. Be informed of the cost of services.
4. Receive respectful, considerate, and professional treatment.
5. Participate in decisions regarding your treatment.
6. Ask questions about your treatment and progress.
7. Receive information about recommended treatment options.
8. Discuss concerns about your care.
9. Have your privacy protected as required by law.
10. Request access to your records as permitted by law.
11. Be informed about financial responsibility.
12. Be free from unlawful discrimination.
13. Receive treatment in an environment that promotes dignity and respect.
14. Raise concerns or file a complaint through appropriate channels.

Open communication is always encouraged. 

I look forward to working with you! 

Riverside Counseling
Anna Bankey, MSW, LICSW
Founder & Owner

Phone/Text: 218-450-8400
Email: anna@riversidebrainerd.com

Like a River, Healing Moves Forward.