taken from the IAVMT Handbook [Third Draft]:

A. VMT practitioners shall respect the religious affiliation, spiritual beliefs, political and sexual orientation and social and cultural views of the client or student, regardless of creed, race, age, gender or gender identification and shall endeavour to work in a way which affirms both the common humanity and the uniqueness of each individual.

B. VMT practitioners shall, after establishing with the client the existence of any other helping or therapeutic relationship in which the client is involved and determining whether VMT is appropriate, make a clear verbal or written agreement with the client as to the nature of their work together. This will include that the client understand and agree to accept the following:

1. that the aim of VMT is to facilitate the alleviation of those physical and psychological factors which inhibit and restrict vocal expression and which are not requiring of medical or surgical treatment, in order to increase the flexibility, versatility and range of the client’s voice and thus enhance the quality of the client’s personal and/or professional life;

2. that the practice of VMT contains a tactile component whereby it is sometimes necessary for the therapist to use touch, manipulation and massage to investigate those aspects of the client’s bodily state and expression which have a direct or indirect influence upon the quality of vocal expression;

3. that the practice of VMT includes a psychotherapeutic as well as a practical analysis of vocal function whereby it is often necessary to draw comparisons between the client’s description of his/her psychological disposition and the acoustic quality of the voice.

C. VMT practitioners shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining professional boundaries with clients and students with regard to inappropriate sexual or financial involvement and the securing of any material benefit beyond that which has been contractually agreed; and for maintaining confidentiality according to the following standards:

1. All information arising from work with the client, including that provided by other professionals, shall be considered confidential. VMT practitioners may discuss aspects of their client work with their supervisor and their professional colleagues within the context of supervision, or case conference. In exceptional circumstances, where there is sufficient evidence to raise serious concern about the client or others who may be threatened by the client’s behaviour, the practitioner is advised to consult his/her supervisor unless such a delay would, in the opinion of the practitioner, involve significant risk to life or health in which instance appropriate authorities should be alerted. In consideration of the foregoing, VMT practitioners shall take all reasonable steps to ensure their own physical safety.

2. In the event a practitioner determines that medical and/or psychiatric assessment or examination may be required, he /she should state clearly to the client that he/she believes such consultation is appropriate. Where the client agrees to pursue such examination, assessment or treatment but the VMT practitioner suspects that the continuation of VMT may be contraindicated or have a negative effect on the client’s condition, he/she will refrain from working with that client until the medical parameters have been established. Where the client refuses to pursue medical consultation and wishes to continue receiving VMT, the practitioner may continue to work with the client provided it is not suspected that VMT would be detrimental to the client’s health and provided the client has signed a statement admitting that the VMT practitioner has advised medical consultation. Since all individuals have the right to refuse medical treatment, the client must not be coerced into seeking or receiving such treatment. The practitioner, however, may refuse to continue VMT if he/she believes that such work would be detrimental to the client’s condition or progress.

3. VMT practitioners shall be aware that it is sometimes appropriate to refer a client elsewhere, for further evaluation within the context of ongoing work or to take up work with some other therapist or teacher, and shall act accordingly. Just as a client may terminate a therapeutic relationship, a practitioner may do so also, if he or she feels, for whatever reason, that it is a poor match. In such a case he/she will do his/her best to make a proper termination and an appropriate referral.

D. In order that VMT Practitioners may endeavour to do their best work in each session with each individual or group, based on their current knowledge and experience, and that they may practice with therapeutic clarity as well as increase their skills and knowledge, it is strongly recommended that all Practitioners receive supervision for their work from a qualified professional.

E. VMT practitioners will recognise and uphold the rights of those whose capacity to give consent to or understand the nature of VMT may be diminished, including the very young, people with disabilities, the very old, individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, or in a psychotic, acutely depressed or traumatized state and others whose faculties may be permanently or temporarily diminished. F. VMT practitioners shall refrain from making exaggerated and unjustifiable claims for the effectiveness of their methods. G. VMT practitioners shall not advertise their services in such a way that it is likely to encourage unrealistic expectations regarding the effectiveness or the extent of the services offered.

H. VMT practitioners must seek the client’s consent before making any audio or video recording of a consultation or session. The client must also seek the therapist’s consent in such recordings. Provided that both parties agree, such recordings may be made. I. In all publications, discussions and other means by which the principles and practice of VMT may be disseminated, the names, geographical locations and other details which may be likely to reveal a client’s identity must be changed, unless the practitioner has the client’s express permission in writing to do otherwise. Where other information regarding the client which has arisen in client work is likely to reveal identity even after the aforementioned details have been changed, the client’s permission must be sought in writing before any such discussion, publication or other means of dissemination may be undertaken.

J. All practitioners shall take care to adhere to these codes of ethics and practice in their dealings with the general public, and present themselves and the work of VMT both accurately and professionally, adhering to the rules of confidentiality and respect for others. In addition, these IAVMT Code of Ethics & Practice need to be applied to on-line public forums, networking websites and other social media as much as it does to direct in-person types of communication where people are physically present.

Please email iavmtdirectors@gmail.com for complaints procedure.