Therapy contract template for psychologists and psychotherapists in France, Belgium and Switzerland

A therapy contract is a document that a psychologist or psychotherapist gives the client at the start of therapy to set out how the work will run: goals, frequency and length of sessions, fees, cancellation rules, confidentiality and its limits, notes and records, and how therapy ends. Both parties usually sign it.

In France, Belgium and Switzerland, the psychologists' codes of ethics do not require a written therapy contract, and we know of no law that does. These codes do require clear information and the client's consent. A written contract is good practice for doing both and keeping a trace. This page gives a full template to copy, with fields in square brackets to fill in. It is written for practitioners working in these three countries. If you practise in the UK, see our counselling contract template for the UK.

Is a therapy contract mandatory?

The codes of ethics in all three countries do not require one. They require clear information for the client and their agreement.

France

The Code de déontologie des psychologues, consolidated version of 9 September 2021, is the profession's reference text. It is not written into law. Article 9 says the psychologist systematically seeks the free and informed consent of the people who consult them, and informs them clearly of the goals, methods, possible cost and limits of the intervention. Article 25 adds that psychologists in private practice set their fees freely, tell people about them in advance and make sure they agree. Article 7 covers professional secrecy, within the limits of Articles 226-13 and 226-14 of the French Penal Code.

Belgium

The code of ethics for psychologists, set by the Royal Decree of 2 April 2014, applies to all psychologists on the list of the Psychologists' Commission. It requires the client's free and informed consent. Article 37 states that the financial implications are agreed before the intervention. Professional secrecy falls under Article 458 of the Belgian Penal Code.

Switzerland

The FSP code of ethics (in force since 1 August 2024) applies to members of the Swiss Federation of Psychologists. Article 23 says fees are agreed at the first meeting, and at the latest before the service begins. Article 30 requires informing the client about the planned methods and the therapeutic setting, risks and alternatives, financial terms including how missed sessions are billed, and professional secrecy.

If you are a psychotherapist but not a psychologist, check the code of your own federation or association. The template below still works.

What a therapy contract should include

• Framework. Who you are, your title, your approach, where or how sessions take place.
• Goals. What the client is looking for, agreed with them and open to review.
• Frequency and length. How often you meet, how long a session lasts, expected length of therapy or a review point.
• Fees and cancellations. Amount, payment method, notice period, missed sessions.
• Confidentiality and its limits. Professional secrecy, and the cases where the law allows or requires disclosure.
• Notes and records. What you write down, where it is kept, for how long, how the client can access it.
• Note-taking tool. If you use one, what it does and where the data goes.
• Ending therapy. How the decision to stop is made and what happens next.

Therapy contract template to copy

Copy this template into your word processor. Replace each field in square brackets. Delete any clause that does not apply to you. If your clients read French, translate it before use.

Therapy contract

• Between. [Practitioner's full name], [title: psychologist, psychotherapist], [registration number: ADELI or RPPS in France, Psychologists' Commission number in Belgium, or equivalent], [practice address], [phone, email].
• And. [Client's full name], born on [date]. [For a minor: legal representative(s), full name.]
• Date of first meeting. [date].

1. Framework

• The therapy offered is [individual psychotherapy, couples work, family work, psychological support].
• My approach is [CBT, psychodynamic, systemic, EMDR, integrative]. I have explained what it involves and its limits.
• Sessions take place [at the practice, by video, both]. For video sessions we use [video platform].
• You may see another practitioner at any time.

2. Goals

• Goals agreed together at the start: [goal 1], [goal 2], [goal 3].
• We will review these goals [every X sessions, on (date)]. They can change with your agreement.

3. Frequency and length of sessions

• Frequency: [weekly, fortnightly].
• Session length: [length] minutes.
• Expected length of therapy: [number of sessions, or open-ended with a review on (date)].

4. Fees and cancellations

• Fee per session: [amount] euros [or Swiss francs]. First session fee: [amount].
• Payment: [cash, cheque, bank transfer, card], [at the end of each session, monthly]. You receive an invoice or receipt [at each session, on request].
• Possible reimbursement: [mutual insurer, supplementary insurance, basic insurance, public scheme depending on your country, or none].
• Cancellation: any session not cancelled at least [notice period] hours in advance is charged, except [emergency, illness with a certificate, other exception].
• Lateness: if you arrive late, the session still ends at the scheduled time.
• Fee changes: I will tell you at least [notice period] before any change.

5. Confidentiality and its limits

• I am bound by professional secrecy. What you tell me stays confidential, within the limits described below.
• I may discuss your situation in clinical supervision or peer review, without anything that could identify you.
• I pass nothing on to a third party, including your doctor, without telling you and getting your agreement, except where the law provides otherwise.
• The law sets exceptions to secrecy, for example some situations of abuse of a child or a vulnerable person. [Your country's references: Articles 226-13 and 226-14 of the Penal Code in France, Article 458 of the Penal Code in Belgium, the applicable text in Switzerland.] In such situations I will talk to you about it wherever possible.

6. Notes and records

• I take notes to ensure continuity of your therapy. They are kept [where, in what format], securely, for [period].
• You can ask to access the information about you by writing to [address]. [Add the rules for your country.]

7. Note-taking tool

• To write my notes I use [tool name], a note-taking assistant.
• [During the session, it transcribes what is said.] [Or: after the session, I dictate my observations.]
• The data is hosted [country, type of hosting, certification]. [What the tool does with audio and data, according to its documentation.]
• You can tell me at any time that you would rather I did not use it. This will not change your therapy in any way.

8. Ending therapy

• You can stop therapy whenever you wish. If you agree, I will offer a final session to review the work.
• I may also suggest ending or referring you to a colleague if therapy no longer meets your needs. We will discuss it together.
• If I have not heard from you for [period], I will consider therapy ended, after writing to you.

9. Signatures

• Signed in [town] on [date], in two copies.
• Client: [signature]. [Legal representative(s): signature.]
• Practitioner: [signature].

Adapting the template

Children and adolescents

In France, Article 11 of the code requires seeking the authorisation of the legal representatives and, as far as possible, the minor's own consent. We recommend adding a line on what you will share with parents and what stays confidential.

Couples and families

State who attends sessions, how any individual sessions work, and what you do with information shared by only one person.

Note-taking tool

In France, a health professional does not need written consent to use a note-taking tool. Informing the client is enough, and clause 7 does that. In Belgium and Switzerland, we recommend keeping this clause signed as a precaution. In Switzerland, Article 22 of the FSP code requires the client's prior written agreement before sessions are captured on audio or video, stating the nature, extent and use of the capture. The text does not say whether a tool that transcribes without keeping the audio is covered. If you are an FSP member, we recommend, as a precaution, having clause 7 signed and describing exactly what the tool does. For more detail, read our guide to client consent and AI note-taking, as well as our pages on GDPR for psychologists in Belgium and the Swiss Data Protection Act.

Handing over and keeping the contract

Read the contract with the client at the first or second session and answer their questions. Give them one copy and keep the other in the record. For access requests, see client access to therapy notes.

Therapy contract, informed consent and treatment plan

These documents look alike but do different jobs. The therapy contract sets the practical framework. An informed consent form shows that the client understood and accepted a specific intervention, such as an assessment or a particular method. A treatment plan sets out clinical goals and how they are tracked. When therapy ends, an end-of-therapy summary looks back at the goals set in the contract.

More templates are gathered on our clinical document templates page.

Why Delta for the rest of therapy

Once the contract is signed, Delta produces a report for each session, from live transcription or from your dictation after the session. It updates the client record with a summary of therapy and the goals being tracked, so you can go back to the goals in the contract when you review progress. Data is hosted in France with an HDS-certified host, the client's name is pseudonymised before the AI step and no audio file is kept, which you can state in clause 7.

Sources

• Code de déontologie des psychologues (France), consolidated version of 9 September 2021 (Articles 7, 9, 11 and 25), in French.
• Psychologists' Commission (Belgium), code of ethics set by the Royal Decree of 2 April 2014.
• Swiss Federation of Psychologists (FSP), Code of Ethics, in force from 1 August 2024 (Articles 22, 23 and 30), French version.