Terms & Conditions

YOU AGREE THAT BY USING THIS SERVICE YOU ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE AND ARE LEGALLY ABLE TO ENTER INTO A BINDING CONTRACT. ADDITIONALLY YOU AGREE THAT ALL INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY YOU IS TRUE AND ACCURATE.

By registering with this Site, you are providing informed consent to the terms and conditions of Membership for TheDifference.co (“The Difference” or “Site”), you (“Member”) acknowledge that you understand the nature of online counseling services as well as the duties, qualifications, and limitations of our contractors (“Practitioners” or “Contractors”), and that The Difference Experience Co (dba The Difference) has provided you with this information prior to providing you with any professional services.

The Difference Contractors. Member acknowledges that no Contractor, Practitioner, Clinician, or Therapist is an employee of The Difference Co, and this Site assumes no responsibility for any act or omission of any Practitioner.  Though The Difference has thoroughly evaluated and verified each contractor’s credentials, we encourage all Members to do the same independently. Member recognizes that, though a mental health practitioner may be featured on the Site, The Difference cannot predict or assess the utility or effectiveness of services rendered by any independent contractor. Under no circumstances will The Difference, its employees, officers, directors, shareholders, or agents be held liable for any indirect, consequential, or punitive damages relative to the services provided by any of the practitioners accessed through this Site. All practitioners featured on TheDifference.co are independently licensed and insured, and any issue, warranty, or claim by a Member must directly address the offending Practitioner.

Certain degrees and diplomas dictate what a mental health practitioner can be called due to implementation of Title laws. Therefore, due to the different criterion and contexts of each contractors’ qualifications, these professionals may use the terms “Counselor,” “Psychotherapist,” and/or “Counselor” interchangeably. You may see the following titles used interchangeably: “LMSW” signifies a Licensed Master of Social Work, “LCSW” is Licensed Certified Social Worker, “LMFT” is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, “LPC” is a Licensed Professional Counselor, and “LMHC” is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.

Member Eligibility. All practitioners are trained to screen for disorders which may not be appropriate for this medium. If you have any history of major psychiatric episodes, inpatient hospitalizations, drug/alcohol dependence, or have been diagnosed as any of the following: suicidal ideation, Borderline Personality Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder Type 1, Mentally Ill/Chemically Addicted (MICA), and/or Schizophrenia – you must disclose this information to your Practitioner at the initial meeting. He or she may choose to continue your Membership or refer you to an agency in your area which can better serve your counseling needs. Additionally, all Practitioners will file a formal report if Member states any desire to do harm to him/herself or others. Practitioners reserve the right to terminate a relationship with a Member if service expectations are incompatible. Members who are found ineligible for services will be removed from the Site. The Difference recommends that those seeking psychiatric or medical advice seek services in person with a qualified professional.

TheDifference.co reserves the right to terminate membership to any user found ineligible for services, and may refuse all current or future use at any time.

IF YOU HAVE CONSIDERED OR ARE CONSIDERING SUICIDE, OR BELIEVE YOURSELF TO BE A POTENTIAL THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF OTHERS, YOU MUST IMMEDIATELY CALL 911 AND NOTIFY THE POLICE.

About Distance Counseling. Also known as Telepractice, Cyberpsychology, Text-Based Therapy, Telehealth, Behavioral Telehealth, and Online Therapy. Distance counseling is providing a psychotherapy service that is not conducted in person and is facilitated through the use of technology. Such technology may include, but is not limited to, telephone, email, internet, or videoconference. Distance Counseling is subject to all practice and ethical considerations discussed in this document and in the law, rules and regulations governing licensed practice in New York State. Disadvantages include varying time zones, cultural differences, language barriers, and strength of internet or phone connectio,n which may impact the delivery of services. Members may provide off-line contact information in case of a technology breakdown, or if reconnection is not possible. Members will not fault or issue any warranty for the failure of the internet or the performance of the Site’s technical platform.

Online Boundaries. Members should understand both the boundaries and expectations related to forming therapeutic relationships online. Any requests to Practitioners for “friendship,” business contacts, direct messages, “@” replies, “re-Tweets,” “tagging,” blog responses or requests for a blog response within social media sites will be ignored to preserve the integrity of the therapeutic relationship and protect sensitive information.

You understand that posting verbatim information from your communications with your practitioner to a third-party site, such as Facebook or Instagram, is discouraged in order to protect the confidentiality of the therapeutic process. Members may do so at will but cannot hold The Difference or its practitioners accountable for any effects this action may have.

Scope of Practice. This term indicates the specific area to which a practitioner may practice. As The Difference is an online service, our practitioners follow local and regional laws and codes of ethics as applicable to Members’ geographic locations.

According to national licensure requirements, our practitioners are permitted to provide psychotherapy services in all states excluding Arkansas, Florida, and Nebraska which issue geographical boundaries for distance counseling and require Practitioners to be licensed by that state. If a Member from Arkansas, Florida, or Nebraska chooses to engage in counseling through TheDifference.co, you understand and acknowledge that you will not be receiving state-licensed treatment, and should instead defer to the appointment as a confidential consultation.

The Difference services are not open to Members who live in a country that is prohibited by law, regulation, treaty, or administrative act from entering into trade relations with the United States.

Informed Consent/Nature of Counseling. There may be both benefits and risks while participating in counseling, distance or otherwise. Counseling may improve your ability to relate with others, provide a clearer understanding of yourself, your values, and your goals. Since counseling may also involve discussing unpleasant aspects of your life, you may also experience uncomfortable feelings. Counseling often leads to better relationships, solutions to specific problems, and significant improvement in feelings of distress. However, please understand there are no guarantees of what you will experience, and that you enter this Agreement and use The Difference services at your own risk. You agree that you understand the possible advantages and disadvantages of online therapy and shall not hold accountable The Difference or its contractors for any information or insight distributed here.

Fees. Members are charged per month for individual subscriptions in the amount of $20, $50, or $125, or $200.  The Difference may change fees and/or services at any time, but will notify Members prior to amendment of service. Members are obligated to report to info@TheDifference.co in any case when a contractor attempts to bill a Member directly for his or her own practice, or a competing service. Such report should include a description of the service provided as well as the amount charged. Any discrepancy or problem in processing payments through this Site should also be reported to info@TheDifference.co.

If a practitioner and Member have mutually agreed to continue services “off-line,” Members must terminate their membership and meet independently of the Site at a rate determined by his or her practitioner.

Security. The Difference utilizes encryption for therapeutic exchanges and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol for financial transactions. Practitioners and Members – not TheDifference.co – will act as sole owners of the therapeutic record including all transcripts, notes, emails and/or billing information. All Member information will be permanently erased from the Site when a Member cancels his or her Membership.

TheDifference.co incorporates a mechanism for verifying the identity of Members by asking for a formal identification number such as date of birth, driver’s license, or other satisfactory evidence. Though Members may choose to utilize a username for participation on the Site, he or she must offer, at minimum, their full first and last name, home address, and a phone number to confirm identity. Any and all sensitive information stored in the The Difference database will be safe and protected by our platform. However, our services are based on several factors which exist outside of the Site; and as such, The Difference cannot guarantee service will be uninterrupted, timely, or secure.

Please immediately alert The Difference to any unauthorized use of your account, password, username, email, or other breach of security at info@TheDifference.co.

Copyright Notice. All information on this website is protected by copyright. You may not reproduce any part of this website without prior written permission from The Difference Experience Co. To request this permission, please contact us at info@TheDifference.co. Any web publications must include a link to our homepage.

TheDifference.co is owned exclusively by The Difference Experience Co. Thus, all features, fees, and functionality of this site are subject to change or termination with or without notice.

Disclaimer. Although we have taken great care in the preparation of this website, its content, and our practitioners, The Difference assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions and disclaims any and all liability for the consequences of your using the information on this website. This disclaimer does not exclude liability for death or personal injury as a result of negligence. You understand The Difference cannot be held responsible for a Member’s acceptance, reliance, or dependence on any services rendered by the Practitioners featured on this site.

This Agreement shall be interpreted only in accordance with the laws of the State of New York (excluding any rules governing choice of laws), and any legal proceeding associated with this Agreement will occur exclusively in the courts located in New York, New York.