Informed Consent for Non-Clinical Spiritual Care Services

Darren Oakley, M.Div. — Ordained Minister & Pastoral Caregiver

dr.oakley@outlook.com | oakleyspiritualcare.com Online Sessions Available

1. Nature of Services — What Spiritual Care Is and Is Not

Spiritual care is not licensed mental health therapy or clinical counseling. Darren Oakley, M.Div., is an ordained minister and trained pastoral caregiver. He is not a licensed professional counselor (LPC), licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), psychologist, or psychiatrist, and does not hold or represent any such licensure.

The services offered through Oakley Spiritual Care are pastoral and spiritual in nature. They include: active listening, emotional support, faith-based companionship, pastoral presence, prayer (when welcome and appropriate), and guidance grounded in Christian scripture and tradition.

Spiritual care does not include diagnosis of mental health conditions, prescription or recommendation of medications, clinical treatment planning, insurance billing, or any service that falls within the scope of practice of licensed mental health professionals under the laws of North Carolina or any other jurisdiction.

If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, active suicidal ideation, psychosis, or any acute psychiatric crisis, please contact emergency services (911), the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or proceed immediately to your nearest emergency room. Spiritual care is not a substitute for emergency or clinical mental health services.

2. Confidentiality

What you share in spiritual care sessions is held in confidence. Darren Oakley will not disclose the content of your sessions to any third party without your written consent, with the following exceptions:

Mandatory reporting obligations: If you disclose information that creates a reasonable belief of imminent risk of harm to yourself or to another identifiable person, Darren Oakley may be ethically and legally obligated to take protective action, which may include contacting emergency services.
Court order or legal compulsion: In the event that disclosure is required by a valid court order or applicable law, Darren Oakley will comply with that order and will notify you to the extent permitted by law.
Supervision and consultation: Darren Oakley may periodically consult with a pastoral supervisor or trusted colleague for the purpose of providing you with the best possible care. In such consultations, identifying information is protected to the greatest extent possible.

Please note that pastoral communications may not carry the same legal privilege as communications with a licensed mental health professional in all jurisdictions. If you have legal concerns about the confidentiality of pastoral communications, you are encouraged to consult an attorney.

3. Session Format, Fees & Scheduling

Session Length

Standard sessions are 40 minutes. Extended sessions (60 minutes) may be arranged by prior agreement.

Session Format

Sessions are conducted via secure video conferencing platform or over a phone call, depending on location and mutual availability.

Free Introductory Call

A complimentary 10-minute introductory call is available to all prospective clients. This call is an opportunity to ask questions, describe what you are navigating, and determine together whether spiritual care with Darren is a good fit. There is no obligation.

Fees

Darren is committed to accessibility and offers sliding-scale fees for those who demonstrate financial need. Please do not hesitate to discuss this openly.

| Service | Fee Range | |---|---| | Free Introductory Call (10 min) | No charge | | Brief Session (20 min) | $25 | | Standard Session (40 min) | $65 | | Extended Session (60 min) | $75 | | Pre-Marital Preparation Series (per session) | $75 / session | | Crisis Companionship (by arrangement) | Sliding scale / donation |

Payment

Payment is due at the time of service. Accepted methods include Stripe (credit/debit card via the website), PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, and cashapp. Invoices are available upon request.

Cancellation Policy

Please provide at least 2 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule a session. Sessions cancelled with less than 2 hours' notice may be charged a late-cancellation fee of 50% of the session rate, except in cases of emergency. Please communicate openly — grace is always available.

4. Professional Boundaries & Scope of Practice

The spiritual care relationship is a professional pastoral relationship. It is not a personal friendship, a romantic relationship, or a social relationship. Darren Oakley is committed to maintaining clear professional boundaries at all times in service of your wellbeing and the integrity of the work.

The following principles govern the professional relationship:

Sessions will not extend beyond their scheduled time without prior agreement.
Communication outside of sessions (email, text) should be limited to scheduling and administrative matters. Darren Oakley will respond to messages within 1–2 business days.
Darren Oakley will not provide emergency mental health crisis intervention. If you are in crisis, please contact 988, 911, or your nearest emergency room.
Spiritual care is not provided to individuals under the age of 18 without the written consent of a parent or legal guardian.
Darren Oakley reserves the right to refer a client to a more appropriate provider if the presenting need falls outside the scope of pastoral spiritual care.

5. Faith Orientation

Oakley Spiritual Care is grounded in the Christian faith and draws on scripture, prayer, and the pastoral tradition. This is the foundation from which Darren Oakley works.

Spiritual care services are open to individuals of any faith background or no formal faith background. You are not required to share Darren Oakley's beliefs, attend a particular church, or adopt any theological position as a condition of receiving care. You are only asked to be open and honest.

Prayer will never be imposed. Where prayer is offered, it is always at the client's invitation or with the client's express permission.

6. Records & Privacy

Darren Oakley may maintain brief session notes for continuity of care. These notes are not clinical records and are not subject to HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), as Oakley Spiritual Care is not a covered healthcare entity.

Session notes are kept securely and are not shared with any third party without your written consent, except as noted in Section 2 (Confidentiality) above.

You may request a summary of your care record at any time. You may also request that records be destroyed upon termination of the care relationship, subject to any applicable legal retention requirements.

7. Ending the Care Relationship

Either party may end the spiritual care relationship at any time. If you wish to end the relationship, a brief closing conversation is encouraged but not required — simply let Darren Oakley know by email or phone.

Darren Oakley may also conclude the care relationship if: the presenting need falls outside the scope of pastoral spiritual care; professional boundaries are not being maintained; or continued engagement would not serve your best interests. In such cases, referrals to appropriate resources will be offered.

There is no penalty for ending care. Grace is the operating principle here.

8. Consent & Agreement

By proceeding with services, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

I have read and understood this Informed Consent document in its entirety.
I understand that Oakley Spiritual Care provides non-clinical pastoral spiritual care and is not a licensed mental health service.
I understand the confidentiality policy, including its limitations, as described in Section 2.
I understand the fee structure, cancellation policy, and session format described in Section 3.
I understand the professional boundaries described in Section 4.
I consent to receive spiritual care services from Darren Oakley, M.Div., on the terms described in this document.
I understand that I may ask questions about this document at any time, and that my questions will be answered honestly.

Questions about this document? Contact Darren Oakley before proceeding. dr.oakley@outlook.com | oakleyspiritualcare.com Version 1.0 — Please retain a copy for your records.

Informed Consent