Online Therapy Contract

We are meeting online via video call for integrative therapy. We will agree your desired outcomes and possible duration of therapy during your first session and review progress regularly (every 4-6 weeks depending on expected duration).

Sessions last 50-60 minutes.

Our relationship

A therapeutic relationship is a collaborative one, where we will work together to reach your therapy goals. I will explain any methods/techniques I feel may benefit you and be guided by your preferences. I will inform you if I feel you would benefit from a therapist with different experience/expertise than me and I endeavour to help you in as short a time as is appropriate, while allowing you to progress at your own pace, without being rushed.

I am unable to have any social relationship with clients during or after therapy, this includes on social media. To protect your confidentiality I will not acknowledge you if I see you in public.

We will not usually have contact between sessions, except to schedule appointments.

I do not offer an emergency 24hour service. Please seek urgent support from emergency services or go to hospital (Emergency Department) if you are in crisis and need support to stay safe. The Samaritans also offer confidential telephone support if you need it 24/7 on 116 123. We will create a safety plan if required.

How to Connect

I will send you a recurring Zoom link, so please save it. Please have your phone with you in case we get disconnected. I will call you after 5 minutes if you are unable to reconnect to the Zoom call.

Fees

60.00 per session, payable by BACS please on the day of your session, or you can pay by card online.

Clients who's fees are covered by health insurance, agree to pay me any excess amount directly, as this is deducted by insurance companies from my payments.

If your fees are covered by your employer, I will invoice them directly.

Sessions are free for Frontline19 referrals for up to 8 weeks.

Late and missed appointments

Please give 24hrs notice if you are unable to attend a session as within 24hrs the session will count as used. If you’re late, I may still need to end at our scheduled time. I cannot complete a session if you appear to be under the influence of drugs/alcohol. If I am unable to attend a session due to an emergency I will contact you as soon as possible to inform you and reschedule. I will inform you in advance when I will be on holiday or away.

Confidentiality

I’m a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, The National Counselling Society and the General Hypnotherapy Register. I am bound by their respective ethical codes/frameworks. Any information entered on forms or discussed in sessions is treated with the utmost confidence and kept in line with GDPR. I keep basic session notes & all records about you are destroyed after 5 years from our last session, unless an ethical reason to keep them longer arises. Should something happen to me and I am unable to contact you myself, a trusted therapist will let you know by phone or email – they will only have access to your contact details if I am unable to contact you myself. In the event of my death your notes will be destroyed by this trusted therapist, without being read.

Neither client nor therapist will record any part of the therapy without written consent.

Exceptions to Confidentiality:

I am required to discuss my clients with a supervisor, and this is done without identifying you. I must pass on any information to the relevant authorities in cases where human safety is concerned including the following cases:

 

1. If you threaten harm to another person/s or if I believe a child or protected adult is at risk of harm.

2. If the courts instruct me to give information.

3. If you share information about a proposed act of terrorism or other illegal act such as FGM.     

4. If I believe you are at risk of harm, or harm to others I may contact your emergency contact and GP or the emergency services if necessary.

​

Online Therapy:

• No one else is permitted to be present, or to overhear us during the therapy. Please find a private space where you wont be interrupted. Earphones may help.

• You agree to participate in online therapy sessions free from the influence of alcohol or drugs.

• You have provided your location address for therapy sessions. You will ensure that there are not likely to be any distractions & have provided contact numbers in case of connection problems.

• You agree that your emergency contact person may be called if I believe you may have come to harm & I’ve been unable to assist you due to our separate locations.

• Both therapist & client will take reasonable precautions to ensure their online security is as safe as is practicable. Any breach of security caused by circumstances beyond our control (hacking, viruses etc.) happens at the clients accepted risk.

• It can help to give yourself a few minutes before and after our session to reflect and return to your usual activities.

• Having tissues, a drink, pen and paper can be useful.