I used to live in new york state - clinton county, nasseau county, warren county, essex county and the protocal was always the same no matter what therapy agency I went to. and that was the clients have only limited access to their treatment/diagnosis part of the files. those parts needed to be requested by the new treating therapist and the new therapist would release those parts of the files to me. It was basically because sometimes it was in the clients best interest to hear the information from a therapist first before actually reading that information and teminology and getting upset by it. even now most therapy agencies ask for the name of new treating therapy professional to release the files to first.

As to the one liners you were given that came about back in the 1980's when courts gained the right to therapy files. Something about a rape case and the therapist went to jail for a bit because she didn't want to release the files to the court. (a movie was made out of the case too but I cant remember the title but lindsey wagner played the part of the therapist) anyhow since then United states therapy agencies now have a protocal where they only put a few sentences (and very brief ones at that) in the files about the whole session. for example mine ususally says something like -

Jaunary 11, 2006 - client worked on PTSD issues today. Treatment Goals finding and actively using relaxation techniques when experiencing flashbacks.

If I call in my therapist writes in her planning book what the phone call was about but in the actual files they have a form they have to fill out basic name time and a one or two liner about the call that covers the content of the majority of the phone call like if I called in tonight after a nightmare the file paper would have for example-

January 11 2006 client called at 3am experiencing nightmare and panic attacks. call ended at 4am.

his statement is accurate if he has on file a release form from you signed at your intake with him and his agency allowing adio and or visual recording. This paper is standard for intake process in the united states therapy agencies. Its usually at the bottom of the questionaire page after you have filled in name and address and insurance or on a separate page attached to the first page.

If you think you have grounds against him APA is not the only recourse.

All United states therapy professionals are board certified and or board liscensed. You can contact that board and request an ethics hearing. This takes a matter of a few months if that. My therapist went before her board of ethics each time within 2 weeks to a month from the date of the DHS caseworkers accusations acainst her. Anyone client or past client can contact thier State Board of Clinical Certified and Liscenced Social Workers to recieve past history of complaints of the therapy professional and they can also lodge complaints. The decisions made by the ethics board include - unfounded, or founded with diciplinary action. Diciplinary action can include written file report, fines and or loss of credentials (certification,licensing).