Confidentiality

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Counselling is private and confidential. Confirmation you are attending counselling, as well as any information from your session is not shared with a third party outside of monthly supervision. There are a few exceptions when confidentiality will be broken:

 

• Child Protection – where I consider a child or young person to be at significant risk of harm.

• If I am concerned that you intend to significantly harm yourself or another.

• Where I am ordered to disclosure case information by a court of law.

• Where I am concerned or hold information about terrorist activity.

 

In all these circumstances, I will endeavour to discuss the concern with you during the session and consider what I need to do as a result.

 

Supervision

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I attend monthly supervision with a qualified counsellor and supervisor where we discuss the therapeutic work. The aim of regular supervision is to ensure best practice, ethical working and enable reflective practice. The supervisor maintains the boundaries of confidentiality as outlined above.

 

Appointments and Cancellations

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Appointments are between 50 and 60 minutes.

 

Please arrive for your appointment at the allocated time as I may be unable to let you in if I am with another client and there is no waiting area available.

 

Where possible a recurring weekly appointment slot will be discussed and allocated to you. If you are unable to commit to a regularly slot I will endeavour to book sessions a week in advance. It is possible to discuss fortnightly sessions dependant on the therapeutic work and individual circumstances.

 

There is a 24hour cancellation policy and cancellations received within 24 hours of your appointment time will be charged at £60. The cancellation fee covers room rental and additional costs. Notice of the need to cancel an appointment will be accepted by email or text.

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Payment

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The cost of a session is £60. Currently I accept cash during the session or bank transfer before the sessions. Please ask for bank details if you prefer to pay by this method.

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Record-keeping and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

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I make brief notes after every therapy session. This acts as an aide-memoire and helps me to reflect on our work together. If, at any time, you would like to see these notes, please feel free to ask. These records are created and stored electronically within an encrypted file and do not contain any identifying details. Your contact details are stored via Wufoo.com, a secure online form platform. A copy of this contract is kept separately and securely in a lockable box.

 

Please be aware that in order for us to communicate between session, especially if you have texted or emailed me, your details maybe stored on my password protected, dedicated work phone. When we stop working together, I will delete all correspondence from my electronic devices, however I may store them in paper form along with your contract depending on the content.

 

I am required by my Insurance provider to keep my therapy records for six years unless there is a legal reason for me to keep them longer. After that all records of our work together will be destroyed. I will not contact you with promotional material and will not share your contact details with anyone without consulting you first, unless it is a Safeguarding concern as discussed above.

 

Ethical Commitment/Complaints

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I am a registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and abide by their ethical code of practice (www.bacp.co.uk/ethicalframework)

 

If you have any concerns or complaints please try to raise these with me in the first instance. If this is not adequate or appropriate you can discuss your concern with the BACP.

 

Social Media

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Due to the nature of our work, I do not accept any social media or LinkedIn requests.

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