Our contract

Please read the information below carefully as it forms an agreement as to how we will work together and outlines my professional obligations regarding confidentiality. At our first session I will set some time aside for us to discuss this agreement and answer any queries that you may have. I will ask you to sign the agreement to show that you understand its contents, after our first session together.

Qualifications

I hold an MSc in Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy from Birkbeck, University of London.

I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and as such abide by their Ethical Framework. Please see: http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical-framework for more information.

Anti-discriminatory practice

I am committed to providing an anti-discriminatory service. I strive to ensure that this practice is present in all our work together.

The way that I work

There are a variety of approaches to the way practitioners work with their clients. I have been trained in a therapeutic approach called Psychodynamic. Using this method of therapy, we will explore your history and how this has impacted your here and now, exploring your unconscious thoughts and patterns of behaviour. I do not provide advice or homework but instead work with you to help you better understand how your history influences you today. Please see – https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/types-of-therapy for more information on different therapeutic approaches.

The client has agreed to attend weekly sessions, which will be held at the same location/ time each week. If for any reason, the location or timing needs to change, this will be discussed with you in advance.

Notice of termination

I require 1 months’ notice if you wish to terminate your therapy with me.

Holidays

I require one months’ notice of any holiday arrangements. I will provide you with at least one months’ notice of my holidays.

Contact between sessions

I can only see you by prior arranged appointment.

I can be contacted during my normal working hours by email or text. I will endeavour to reply to you as soon as possible, but there may be a delay.

If you require emergency or urgent professional assistance, please contact NHS direct telephone 111, your GP, or the emergency services.

Useful resources

Samaritans. 24-hour Tel: 116 123. Email jo@samaritans www.samaritans.org
CALM. Raises awareness of suicide. Tel: (outside London) 0800 585858. (Inside London) 0808 8025858
Childline. Free phone 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk
Mind info line: 0300 123 3393 Mon-Fri 9am-6pm. Text 86463
PAPYRUS (prevention of young suicide) Tel: 0800 068 4141 Mon-Fri 9am-10pm Text 07786 209697 www.papyrus-uk.org

Fees

I charge a fee of £60 per 50-minute session. Every session offered must be paid for, even if you do not attend.

Reduced fee rate

I charge a reduced fee of £35 per session to clients who are in receipt of Universal Credit. We can discuss this during our first session, and I require proof from you such as a letter, or email from the Department for Work and Pensions, in order for me to offer this service.

I review my fees on an annual basis in January and will give you 2 months calendar months’ notice of any proposed increase.

Cancellation policy

All sessions I offer must be paid for, I am unable to accept cancellations without prior agreement for exceptional circumstances. If you arrive late unfortunately, I will not be able to extend the session, as this will affect my other appointments.

I only see clients by appointment, and I am unable to correspond with clients between sessions, apart from for administrative purposes.

Supervision

All members of BACP are required to have regular supervision. My work continues to be supervised to ensure that it is safe, ethical and effective. Aspects of our work may be discussed during these sessions, but no full name will be used and identifiable details removed. My supervisor is a member of BACP and as such they are bound by the same confidentiality rules as myself. In keeping with the requirements of BACP’s Ethical Framework.

I have appointed a trusted colleague to take over the administration of my practice in the event of my death or incapacity, and to deal with my appointments and destroy my notes in a confidential manner. This colleague is also a member of BACP and is bound by the same professional confidentiality rules as set out in their Ethical Framework.

Confidentiality

As a member of BACP I am bound by their Ethical Framework to protect a client’s confidentiality. Therefore, everything that we discuss is confidential except in certain circumstances, which are listed below.

Exceptions:

Harm to self or others

I reserve the right to break confidentiality if I think that you have become a danger to yourself or other people. I will attempt to discuss this with you and my supervisor first, but this may not always be possible.

For legal and ethical reasons

For legal and ethical reasons I am not bound by confidentiality if in good faith I feel that I can assist in the prevention or detection of a serious crime, this includes safeguarding issues regarding children or vulnerable adults, crimes regarding substantial financial gains and losses, and acts of terrorism.

Keep safe policy

In certain cases where you may have declared a clear and definite intention to end your life, or if I have reason to believe this to be true, we may after a careful discussion agree to put in place a ’keep safe policy’ where you will agree to take certain measures, such as get in touch with your mental health crisis team, or talk to the Samaritans as a way of safeguarding and ensuring your safety.

Record keeping confidentiality

As a member of BACP I am required to keep accurate and appropriate notes of our work together. I record my session notes securely on a laptop that is only used by me, and this is password protected at both the level of the individual document and the laptop itself. Any paper documents are locked in a robust cabinet to which only I have access. I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office, registration number ZB886049 and any information that I keep is subject to the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 18) and United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation UK-GDPR see Information Commissioner’s Office: https://ico.org.uk and BACP’s Privacy notice. https://www.bacp.co.uk/privacy-notice.

Acknowledgment outside of sessions

If we happen to be in the same place at the same time, I will only acknowledge you if you acknowledge me first. This is to ensure our work together is kept confidential if needed.

Attending under the influence

I am unable to deliver effective therapy to clients who try to attend sessions under the influence of non-prescribed medication or alcohol. In such a case I would discuss the issue with you, and we would agree a period of abstinence prior to the session from the non-prescribed medication or alcohol, and add this period to the contract.

Complaint

If there is anything that you don’t understand about this agreement, or if you would prefer it in a different format, please let me know. Similarly, if you are not happy with any of our sessions or the standard of my work, I hope that you would feel able to talk to me about this. If you feel unable to talk to me or in the event of a serious complaint, please contact BACP’s Get help with counselling concerns service (formerly Ask Kathleen), which provides confidential telephone and email guidance on what to do if you have concerns about your therapy or therapist. Phone 01455 883300 or 07811 762114 or 07811 762256. Please leave a message or email gethelp@bacp.co.uk, or write to BACP, 15 St John’s Business Park, Lutterworth LE17 4HB.