As a Career Development Specialist, I often have as many as 40 client files open at one time. Each client has his or her individual schedules, projects, and are at different stages of the career development process. My years of experience have taught me how easily the details of this kind of practice can run amok. To keep Vocatus running smoothly and efficiently, and most importantly, to free my time for counseling, I ask you to adhere to the following policies:

SCHEDULE GUIDELINES
Unlike psychotherapy, where appointments are scheduled on a weekly basis, career development counseling travels a different course. The frequency of your appointments will vary as the process evolves, most often beginning with a weekly appointment. Your appointment schedule will change as self-knowledge increases and your need for support and structure decreases. In order for my schedule to run smoothly and avoid "double bookings", it is essential for you to follow these guidelines:

• When you begin career development counseling you will be expected to schedule a fixed appointment and time frame that best supports your career development needs. Your appointment will remain on the schedule until we mutually agree to change it.
• If you need to leave your appointment slot for more than two weeks, (vacation/on assignment, etc.) you are responsible for giving me the exact dates of the missed appointments and the exact date of your return appointment.
• Under most circumstances, schedules are set for a minimum of 3 months (quarterly). Two cancellations in a row, or frequent cancellations, may result in the loss of your appointment time.
• If you schedule a phone session, you are responsible for calling until you reach me. Do not call, leave a message, and ask for me to call you back.
• When you need to reschedule your appointment your name will be placed on a waiting list. Be advised that if no open slots are available, you will have to wait until your next scheduled appointment.

FREQUENCY OF SESSIONS
WEEKLY SCHEDULE: Beneficial for either the early stages of the career development process, a specific project or work adjustment concerns. Most often used during the stages of career choice, career change or career transition.

SEMI-MONTHLY SCHEDULE: Beneficial for the middle stages of the career development process. Most often used during the stage of career enrichment.

MONTHLY/QUARTERLY SCHEDULE: Beneficial for the later stages of the career development process. Most often used during the stage of career advancement.

TUNE-UP: Beneficial to maintain momentum, re-evaluate, refine or adjust a current career course or direction. This is not a regularly scheduled appointment. note: For tune-ups I recommend that you send me a "catch-up" email before your appointment. This saves the appointment hour for new ideas, questions, concerns, decisions, etc.

PAYMENT POLICY GUIDELINES

• Payment for counseling sessions and vocational assessment materials is due upon receipt of services.
• If I have to repeatedly remind you to send in an overdue payment, you will be taken off my schedule.
• So that I can make the best use of my time between sessions, please write your checks before your session or in the waiting room after your session.
• Make checks payable to Pamela Pagliochini.

RETURNED CHECKS

• You will be charged $30.00 for each returned check.

CANCELLATIONS
Scheduling an appointment is "retaining" my time. You are required to inform me of appointment cancellations at least 48 hours (two full days) in advance. You will be charged for appointments that are canceled without prior notice, regardless of the circumstances. However, I will make every attempt to reschedule your appointment during the same week or to schedule another client in your appointment slot. In either case, the cancellation fee would be waived.

PHONE CALLS/EMAILS

• Please be judicious when making phones calls or sending emails. Requests for phone calls /email response time beyond 10 minutes will be charged at my standard hourly rate.

READING/VIEWING TIME
I am often asked to view DVDs, read business plans, book proposals, etc. I am happy to do this and look forward to the opportunity. However, requests for my time outside of the session will be charged at my standard hourly rate.

MY CREDENTIALS AND WORK EXPERIENCE
As my client, you have the right to know my qualifications, how I work, my philosophy of counseling, and what you can expect of me as your Career Development Specialist. I hold a Masters Degree in counseling from the University of Maryland and have been in private practice in NYC for over 25 years. I specialize in a life span developmental approach to career counseling using a unique integration of:

• Career psychology, career development theory, family systems theory and constructive development theory.
• Techniques of art therapy and bibiotherapy
• Comprehensive vocational testing
• Individually tailored job search techniques

I am a Master Career Counselor, certified by the National Career Development Association, and a National Certified Career Counselor and a National Certified Counselor, certified by the American Counseling Association. In order to maintain these certifications, I am required to enroll in ongoing coursework and supervision.

Additionally, I have studied at the Teachers College at Columbia University in the areas of Vocational Assessment, Adult Development, and Career Development in the Organization and at the Ackerman Institute of Family Therapy, focusing on the family/work system.

USE OF VOCATIONAL TESTING AT VOCATUS
It is essential to understand that VOCATUS is not a "test and tell" practice, but rather a life span/developmental approach to careers. Vocational testing, along with counseling, is used as a means of gathering information to help identify relevant career patterns and themes. Results of your vocational testing will be dispensed throughout the counseling process. Vocational tests alone should not be deemed the answer to your career development concerns or eliminate the need for introspection, reflection and genuine self-knowledge. Note: Some of the testing used may be sensitive in nature. I can share the results of these instruments with you in the counseling session, or I must send them to another qualified professional of your choice.

YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS MY CLIENT
Career unrest is a creative challenge. It requires you to make an active effort and an ongoing contribution of time and energy on behalf of yourself and our work together.

As my client you have the right to:

• Become fully informed about my approach to career development counseling.
• Ask any questions about the purpose or usefulness of any of my suggestions, techniques, procedures, assignments, etc.
• Fully understand the benefits, as well as the limitations, of my services.
• Ask questions; decide not to follow my suggestions, and to terminate career development counseling, at any time, for any reason.

MY RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS YOUR COUNSELOR
It is my responsibility to keep our discussions confidential unless given permission by you, in writing, to speak to your employer, psychotherapist, etc.

It is my right to:

• Expect you to bring your full commitment to the process of your career development.
• If applicable, ask to speak to your psychotherapist in order to gain insights that may be helpful to our work.
• Terminate your career development counseling at any time if it becomes apparent to me that you are no longer benefiting from counseling or, if you do not pay your counseling and testing fees, as charged, and on a timely basis.
• Discard the contents of your file, including all testing materials, if I have not heard from you for 1 month.