If you feel that there has been domestic violence within the relationship with the person with whom you intend to mediate, please discuss your situation with me prior to making the firstappointment.
The Family Code in California describes domestic violence as follows: a person has "perpetrated domesticviolence" when he or she is found by the court to have intentionally or recklessly caused or attempted to cause bodily injury, or sexual assault, or to have placed a person in reasonable apprehension of imminent serious bodily injury to that person or to another, or to have engaged in any behavior involving, but not limited to, threatening, striking, harassing, destroying personal property or disturbing the peace of another.
Confidentiality of e-mails and faxes
I rely on e-mail, particularly to set-up appointments, but also in follow-up communication. This has the advantage of permitting transparency in all communications with the mediator. It is an efficient means of communicating and significantly reduces costs to you.
I take all possible precautions to preserve confidentiality. I employ appropriate safeguards on my personal computer; attempt to keep up with safe internet practices.
However, e-mail and cell phone communication can be accessed by unauthorized people and hence the privacy and confidentiality of such communication can be compromised. E-mails are vulnerable to such unauthorized access due to the fact that servers have unlimited and direct access to all e-mails that go through them.
Please notify me at the beginning of treatment if you decide to avoid or limit in any way the use of any or all of the above-mentioned communication devices.
I am phasing out accessibility via facsimile. Please send documents via email or regular mail.
Mary A. Duryee, Ph.D. 2014 San Francisco Bay Area Psychologist and Mediator PSY 7975