Can therapy sessions be video recorded?

Therapy sessions can only be video recorded with explicit consent. I will never record a session without discussing it with you first and receiving your written agreement. Video recording is optional. You can decline, and this will not affect your therapy.

Why would a therapist record a therapy session?

Some therapists record selected sessions for clinical supervision and professional training. This allows the therapist to review their own work carefully and receive detailed feedback from a supervisor or training group. The purpose is to improve the quality, safety and precision of the therapy.

Do I have to agree to video recording?

No. You do not have to agree to video recording. If you choose not to be recorded, your therapy can continue as normal. Declining will not affect your relationship with me, your access to therapy, or the quality of care you receive.

Who will see the therapy recording?

Recordings may be viewed by me, my ISTDP supervisor, and members of my ISTDP Core Training supervision group where relevant. They are not shared publicly. They are not used for marketing, social media, public websites, promotional material or research.

Will my therapy recording be confidential?

Yes. Video recordings are treated as confidential clinical material. Recordings are only used for the purposes explained in the consent form: clinical review, supervision and ISTDP Core Training supervision. Supervision and training discussions are bound by professional confidentiality.

How are therapy recordings stored?

Recordings are stored securely, with access restricted. They are transferred to secure storage as soon as reasonably possible after the session, and any unnecessary original copy is deleted once the secure transfer has been completed and checked. Recordings are not sent by ordinary email.

Can I withdraw consent after agreeing to be recorded?

Yes. You can withdraw consent at any time. If you withdraw consent, no further sessions will be recorded. Existing recordings will be deleted unless there is a lawful reason why this cannot be done.

Will saying no affect my therapy?

No. Saying no will not affect your therapy. Video recording is optional. You are free to decline or change your mind later.

Is video recording used to assess me as a client?

No. The focus is on my work as the therapist. Recording helps me review the therapy process and receive supervision on my clinical work. It is not about judging, testing or assessing you.

Can online therapy sessions be recorded?

Online therapy sessions can only be recorded with explicit written consent and where recording is permitted by the platform or service being used. If a third-party therapy platform does not allow recording, the session will not be recorded, even if you are personally willing to consent.

Are therapy recordings used for teaching or public training?

Recordings are not used for public teaching, conferences, marketing, social media, websites, promotional material or research. For my practice, recording is limited to clinical review, ISTDP supervision and ISTDP Core Training supervision, unless a separate written consent process is agreed.

Video Recording for Supervision and Training

As part of my ongoing professional development and ISTDP Core Training, I may occasionally ask whether you are willing for selected therapy sessions to be video recorded for clinical supervision.

This is entirely optional.

You do not have to agree to video recording in order to receive therapy. If you decline, this will not affect your therapy, your relationship with me, or your access to future sessions.

Why I may ask to record a session

Video recording is used for clinical supervision and training.

It allows me to review my own work carefully and receive detailed supervision on the therapy process. This can include looking at how I respond in the session, how anxiety or emotional avoidance appears, and how the therapy can be made more effective.

The purpose is to improve the quality, safety and precision of the therapy I provide.

The focus is on my clinical work as the therapist. It is not about judging or assessing you.

What would be recorded

If you give consent, selected therapy sessions may be video recorded.

This may include your image, voice, my image and voice, and the content of the session.

Because video includes image and sound, full anonymity cannot be guaranteed. However, identifying details will be reduced wherever possible when material is discussed in supervision.

How recordings may be used

Recordings may be used for:

My own clinical review;
Supervision with my ISTDP supervisor;
ISTDP Core Training supervision and discussion within an approved supervision/training group.

Recordings are not used for marketing, social media, public websites, promotional material, research, or any non-clinical purpose.

Recordings are not shared with family members, employers, insurers, or unrelated third parties.

Who may see a recording

Recordings may be viewed by:

Me
My ISTDP supervisor;
Members of my ISTDP Core Training supervision group, where relevant.

Supervision and training discussions are bound by professional confidentiality. Those viewing clinical material are qualified or trainee professionals working within a clinical supervision or training context.

Consent

Recording only takes place with explicit written consent.

Before any recording begins, I will explain the purpose of recording and send you a consent form to read. You will have time to consider it and ask questions.

You can say no.

You can also change your mind later.

Declining or withdrawing consent will not affect your therapy.

Storage and deletion

Recordings are stored securely, with access restricted.

Recordings are transferred to secure storage as soon as reasonably possible after the session. Any unnecessary original copy is deleted once secure transfer has been completed and checked.

Files are named using an anonymised naming system wherever possible.

Recordings are not sent by ordinary email.

Recordings are deleted no later than 12 months after the date they are last used in ISTDP supervision or training supervision. If a recording is no longer needed before this point, it is deleted earlier.

Platform-based therapy

For therapy provided through an online therapy platform or third-party service, recording will only be considered if the platform or service permits it.

Client consent alone is not enough if the platform does not allow recording.

Questions

You are welcome to ask questions before making any decision.

You do not need to decide immediately. If recording is discussed, you will have time to read the information, consider the consent form, and talk it through before agreeing or declining.

FAQ: Video Recording in Therapy

Therapy sessions can only be video recorded with explicit consent. I will never record a session without discussing it with you first and receiving your written agreement.
Video recording is optional. You can decline, and this will not affect your therapy.
Some therapists record selected sessions for clinical supervision and professional training. This allows the therapist to review their own work carefully and receive detailed feedback from a supervisor or training group.
The purpose is to improve the quality, safety and precision of the therapy.
No. You do not have to agree to video recording.
If you choose not to be recorded, your therapy can continue as normal. Declining will not affect your relationship with me, your access to therapy, or the quality of care you receive.
Recordings may be viewed by me, my ISTDP supervisor, and members of my ISTDP Core Training supervision group where relevant.
They are not shared publicly. They are not used for marketing, social media, public websites, promotional material or research.
Yes. Video recordings are treated as confidential clinical material.
Recordings are only used for the purposes explained in the consent form: clinical review, supervision and ISTDP Core Training supervision. Supervision and training discussions are bound by professional confidentiality.
Recordings are stored securely, with access restricted. They are transferred to secure storage as soon as reasonably possible after the session, and any unnecessary original copy is deleted once the secure transfer has been completed and checked.
Recordings are not sent by ordinary email.
Recordings are deleted no later than 12 months after the date they are last used in ISTDP supervision or training supervision.
If a recording is no longer needed before this point, it is deleted earlier.
Yes. You can withdraw consent at any time.
If you withdraw consent, no further sessions will be recorded. Existing recordings will be deleted unless there is a lawful reason why this cannot be done.
No. Saying no will not affect your therapy.
Video recording is optional. You are free to decline or change your mind later.
No. The focus is on my work as the therapist.
Recording helps me review the therapy process and receive supervision on my clinical work. It is not about judging, testing or assessing you.
Online therapy sessions can only be recorded with explicit written consent and where recording is permitted by the platform or service being used.
If a third-party therapy platform does not allow recording, the session will not be recorded, even if you are personally willing to consent.
Recordings are not used for public teaching, conferences, marketing, social media, websites, promotional material or research.
For my practice, recording is limited to clinical review, ISTDP supervision and ISTDP Core Training supervision, unless a separate written consent process is agreed.