You have the right to see your therapy records, and you also have the right to ask for corrections when something in those records is wrong. Requesting a correction to your therapy records is a formal process, but it does not have to be intimidating. Under Nova Scotia’s Personal Health Information Act (PHIA), your therapist must respond to a written correction request within 30 days. That deadline matters, and knowing it changes how you approach the conversation. What follows covers exactly how to make that request, what to expect, and what to do if things do not go the way you hoped.
Why correcting your therapy records matters more than most people realize
Most people assume their therapy notes are private and therefore harmless if inaccurate. That assumption misses something important. Your therapy records can follow you. They may be shared with other health providers, requested by insurers, or reviewed in legal proceedings. An error in those records, whether a wrong date, a misattributed statement, or a diagnosis that was never confirmed, can affect decisions made about your care, your coverage, or your credibility.
Consider a concrete example: a client who sought a second opinion from a psychiatrist discovers that their previous therapist’s notes describe them as “resistant to treatment” based on a single session where the client arrived late due to a family emergency. That characterization, if left uncorrected, could shape how the next provider approaches them before they even speak. Correcting it is not about being difficult. It is about accuracy.
There is also a common misconception worth addressing directly. Many people believe that requesting a correction means they are accusing their therapist of lying or being incompetent. That is rarely the case. Records contain errors for ordinary reasons: a clinician mishears something, confuses two clients’ details, or documents an impression that was later revised but never updated. Asking for a correction is a routine exercise of a legal right, not an accusation.
What Nova Scotia law says about your right to request a correction to therapy records
Nova Scotia’s Personal Health Information Act, S.N.S. 2010, c. 41 (PHIA), came into force on June 1, 2013, and it is the primary law governing how your health information is handled in this province. Under PHIA, you have a statutory right to request a correction to your personal health information in writing, and the custodian, meaning your therapist or their clinic, must respond in writing within 30 days [S4].
Your therapist, if they are a regulated health professional in private practice, is considered a “custodian” under PHIA, and any staff or contractors working on their behalf are “agents” with defined obligations [S3]. That means the law applies not just to the therapist you see directly, but to the administrative staff who handle your file.
It is also worth knowing that a second law may apply. The federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) covers commercial health activities, including private psychotherapy practices in Nova Scotia [S5]. In practice, PHIA is the more specific and commonly applied framework for correction requests in this province, but PIPEDA provides a parallel layer of protection.
What counts as personal health information under PHIA
Personal health information includes your diagnosis, treatment notes, session summaries, medication records, and any identifying information connected to your health. It does not include a therapist’s purely subjective professional opinions that are clearly labeled as such and kept separately from your official record. That distinction matters when you are deciding what to request a correction for.
Before you write the request: what to do first
Before you draft anything, request access to your records. You cannot correct what you have not read. Under PHIA, you have the right to access your personal health information, and your therapist must respond to that access request within 30 days as well. Ask for a complete copy of your file in writing, and keep a copy of that request for yourself.
Once you have the records, read them carefully and take notes. Mark every entry that you believe is inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading. Be specific. “This is wrong” is not enough. You want to be able to say: “The session note dated March 4 states that I reported no history of anxiety. I did report a history of anxiety, and I described it in detail during that session.”
One edge case many people skip over: what if the record contains information that was accurate at the time but is now outdated? For example, a note from two years ago describes your living situation in a way that no longer reflects your life. PHIA’s correction right applies to information that is inaccurate or incomplete, so outdated information that could mislead a future provider is a legitimate target for a correction request.
Gather any supporting documentation before you write. Text messages, emails, or other records that support your version of events can strengthen your request, though they are not legally required.
How to write a correction request that actually works
Your correction request must be in writing. An email counts, but a formal letter is preferable because it creates a clearer paper trail. Address it to the custodian, which is typically your therapist or the clinic director, not a receptionist.
Your letter should include the following:
- Your full name and date of birth, so your file can be identified without ambiguity
- The specific record or entry you are disputing, including the date of the session or document
- A clear statement of what is incorrect and what the accurate information is
- Any supporting documentation you are attaching
- A request for written confirmation that the correction has been made, or a written explanation if it is refused
- Your preferred contact information and a date by which you expect a response (30 days is the legal maximum)
Keep the tone factual. This is not the place to express frustration about your therapeutic relationship. A letter that reads as a complaint is more likely to trigger a defensive response. A letter that reads as a straightforward factual correction is more likely to be processed efficiently.
Sample language for a correction request
“I am writing to request a correction to my personal health information held in your records. The session note dated [date] contains the following inaccuracy: [describe the error]. The accurate information is: [describe what is correct]. I am attaching [describe any supporting documents]. Please confirm in writing within 30 days whether this correction has been made, or provide a written explanation if you are declining the request.”
What happens after you submit the request: the 30-day window and your options
Once your therapist or clinic receives your written request, the 30-day clock starts. Within that window, one of three things will happen: the correction is made and you receive written confirmation, the correction is refused and you receive a written explanation, or the custodian requests an extension (which PHIA permits in limited circumstances).
If the correction is made, ask for a copy of the corrected record. Do not assume the change has been made correctly without seeing it.
If the correction is refused, the custodian must explain why in writing. Common reasons include: the information reflects the clinician’s professional judgment rather than a factual error, or the record accurately documents what was said at the time even if the client now disputes it. A refusal is not the end of the road.
When a correction is refused, you have the right to add a statement of disagreement to your file. This means your version of events becomes part of the official record, even if the original entry is not changed. That statement must be attached to the record and disclosed whenever the record is shared with another provider.
Requesting a correction to therapy records when your request is refused or ignored
If your therapist does not respond within 30 days, or if you receive a refusal that you believe is unjustified, you have escalation options. In Nova Scotia, you can file a complaint with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nova Scotia (OIPC). The OIPC has authority to investigate complaints under PHIA and can order a custodian to make a correction.
You can also file a complaint with the regulatory college that governs your therapist’s profession. In Nova Scotia, regulated psychotherapists and social workers are governed by their respective colleges, which have their own complaint processes for professional conduct issues.
One honest tradeoff to name here: escalating a complaint can strain or end a therapeutic relationship. If you are still in active treatment with the therapist whose records you are disputing, think carefully about timing. Some clients choose to wait until they have transitioned to a new provider before filing a formal complaint. Others find that raising the issue directly with the therapist, before sending a formal letter, resolves the problem without escalation. Neither approach is universally right.
If you have questions about how Wholetherapy handles record correction requests, you can contact us directly.
Practical considerations for clients in Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada
Geography matters in this process. If you received therapy through a telehealth platform based outside Nova Scotia, the applicable law may differ. PHIA applies to custodians operating in Nova Scotia [S2]. If your provider is based in another province, you may need to look at that province’s health privacy legislation, and PIPEDA may be the more relevant federal framework [S5].
For clients in rural Nova Scotia or other parts of Atlantic Canada, access to records can be slower simply because smaller practices may have less administrative infrastructure. Build extra time into your timeline. Send your request by email with a read receipt, or by registered mail, so you have proof of delivery and the date the 30-day window began.
If you are unsure whether your therapist is a regulated health professional under PHIA, check with their regulatory college or ask them directly. Unregulated practitioners may not be bound by PHIA in the same way, though PIPEDA may still apply to their commercial activities [S5].
Clients who have received EMDR therapy or other trauma-focused treatment may have particularly detailed session notes. Those notes can include trauma narratives, body-based observations, and processing records. If any of that information is inaccurate, the correction process described here applies in exactly the same way.
For general questions about how therapy records work, including what gets documented and why, Wholetherapy’s FAQ covers many of the common questions clients bring to their first session.
Frequently asked questions
Can I request a correction to my therapy records in Nova Scotia?
Yes. Under the Personal Health Information Act (PHIA), S.N.S. 2010, c. 41, you have a legal right to request a correction to your personal health information in writing. Your therapist, as a custodian under PHIA, must respond in writing within 30 days. If the correction is refused, you must receive a written explanation, and you have the right to add a statement of disagreement to your file.
What if my therapist refuses to correct my therapy records?
A refusal must be provided in writing with reasons. If you disagree with the refusal, you can add a statement of disagreement to your file, which must be attached whenever that record is shared. You can also file a complaint with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nova Scotia, which has authority to investigate and order corrections under PHIA. Escalating to your therapist’s regulatory college is another option if you believe the refusal reflects a professional conduct issue.
How long does a therapist have to respond to a correction request in Nova Scotia?
Under PHIA, the custodian must respond in writing within 30 days of receiving your written request. Extensions are permitted in limited circumstances, but the custodian must notify you if they are taking one. If you do not receive any response within 30 days, that non-response can itself be the basis for a complaint to the OIPC.
Does requesting a correction to therapy records affect my ongoing treatment?
It should not, legally speaking, but the practical reality is more nuanced. Raising a correction request can sometimes create tension in the therapeutic relationship, particularly if the therapist perceives it as a challenge to their clinical judgment. Some clients choose to raise the issue informally first, before sending a formal written request, to see if the error can be resolved without escalation. If you are concerned about how a request might affect your care, speaking with a patient advocate or a new provider before proceeding can help you think through the timing.
Can I request a correction to therapy records from a telehealth provider outside Nova Scotia?
If your provider is based outside Nova Scotia, PHIA may not apply directly, since it governs custodians operating in Nova Scotia. However, the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) applies to commercial health activities and may give you similar correction rights. You would need to identify which province the provider operates from and check that province’s health privacy legislation. When in doubt, submit a written request directly to the provider and ask them to identify the applicable law governing your records.