The Poly Advisor Terms and Conditions
These terms and conditions take effect immediately on the date of purchase.
The Poly Advisor is Peer Support. It is not meant to replace or substitute for therapy and/or life coaching.
Description of Peer Support: Peer support is when people use their own experiences to help each other. It connects people together through their shared lived experiences to support each other, provide safe space, and create an environment of acceptance and understanding. It is not a replacement for traditional therapy or counseling.
Description of Peer Support Services provided by The Poly Advisor: The Poly Advisor offers individuals, couples, and polycules (“Clients”) who identify as ethically non-monogamous (ENM) a chance to speak with a peer who shares their lived experience in a non-clinical setting.
Clients individually understand:
- I am fully responsible for my physical, mental and emotional well-being when engaged in communication with The Poly Advisor, including my choices and decisions. I am aware that I can choose to discontinue peer support services at any time.
- I know that peer support from The Poly Advisor is a form of “coaching” where the client can share and discuss their non-monogamy challenges in a confidential, non-clinical setting.
- I understand that peer support is a process that may overlap with other areas of my life, including work, finances, health, relationships, education and recreation. I acknowledge that deciding how to handle these issues by incorporating peer support into these areas, are my choices exclusively and my responsibility.
- I understand that peer support does not involve the diagnosis or treatment of mental disorders as defined by the American Psychiatric Association. I understand that peer support is not a substitute for counseling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, mental health care, or substance abuse treatment. I will not use it in place of any form of diagnosis, treatment or therapy.
- I promise that if I am currently in therapy or otherwise under the care of a mental health professional, that I have consulted with the mental health care provider regarding the advisability of engaging in peer support and that this person is aware of my decision to proceed.
- I understand that information will be held as confidential unless I state otherwise, in writing, except as required by law.
- I understand that certain topics may be anonymously and hypothetically shared with other peer support practitioners for training or consultation purposes.
- I understand that peer support is not to be used as a substitute for professional advice by legal, medical, financial, business, spiritual, or other qualified professionals. I will seek independent professional guidance for legal, medical, financial, business, spiritual or other matters.
- I understand that all decisions in these areas are exclusively mine and I acknowledge that my decisions and my actions regarding them are my sole responsibility.
Fees:
All fees are paid for in full, unless a payment plan is offered and accepted. Packaged sessions must be used within 1 year of their initial sign-up/purchase date.
Services:
The services to be provided by The Poly Advisor to the client(s) are conducted either by email or via video call, based on the package selected by the client.
Peer support may include discussion of specific personal projects, business successes, or general conditions in the client’s life or profession. Other peer support services include value clarification, brainstorming, identifying plans of action, examining modes of operating in life, asking clarifying questions, and making empowering requests or suggestions for action. Throughout the working relationship, The Poly Advisor and the client will engage in direct and personal conversations.
The client(s) understands that successful peer support requires a co-active collaborative approach between client(s) and The Poly Advisor. In this relationship, The Poly Advisor plays the role of a facilitator of change, but it is the client’s responsibility to enact or bring about the change.
Prior History:
The client(s) also agrees to disclose details of significant past or present psychological or psychiatric treatment. In entering into peer support, you are agreeing that if any mental health difficulties arise during the course of the peer support offered by The Poly Advisor, you will notify me immediately so that I can discuss with you appropriate next steps and referrals to appropriate mental health care professionals as needed.
Privacy:
The client(s) can, at any point, declare his/ her/ their preference not to discuss a specific issue, by simply stating that they would rather not discuss this issue. The Poly Advisor agrees to respect this boundary and will not attempt to forward the conversation further along those lines.
Confidentiality:
All information about the peer support relationship between The Poly Advisor and the client will remain strictly confidential except in very rare circumstances where decreed by law; i.e.. where the court might issue a subpoena for the file or information.
If you wish for me to speak to someone outside our interactions, then you need to give me written permission (original letter or email) to do so. Exceptions to confidentiality relate to circumstances such as intent to seriously harm oneself, someone else, child abuse etc. Otherwise, all information is confidential.
Scheduling/Cancellation:
Scheduled sessions must be changed or rescheduled a minimum of 24 hours prior to the appointment time. Cancelling or rescheduling an appointment without 24 hour notice will result in a charge of all paid services using the credit card on file.
Termination:
Peer support under the terms and aforementioned agreements will continue for the duration of the contracted period. Only under extenuating circumstances (that are mutually agreed upon) our peer support agreement be postponed up to 6 months of the said agreement.
The client(s) can choose to terminate this arrangement at will, but package and session fees are not refundable/transferable.
Dispute Resolution
The client(s) agree that any disputes or disagreements will be resolved directly, or with the use of mediation outside of any court system.
Waiver
The failure of either party to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver or limitation of that party's right to subsequently enforce and compel strict compliance with every provision of these terms and conditions.
Applicable Law
This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Indiana without giving effect to any conflicts of laws and provisions.
Binding Effect
This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and permissible assigns.