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Counselling Contract

If you are considering counselling, here is a preview of my contract setting out the terms of the service I provide. The contract is signed by both client and counsellor before the first full counselling session.

Light Step Counselling Consent and Contract

This counselling contract sets out how our professional counselling relationship will work.

 

I am a registered member of the and I abide by the BACP code of ethics

  • https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/ethics-and-standards/ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions/

  • I provide a confidential service with the following exceptions:

  • If you tell me anything that leads me to believe that you or someone else is at immediate risk of harm, in particular a child, I will need to contact the appropriate emergency or safeguarding service.

  • In the event of my having concerns for your wellbeing, I will encourage you to contact an appropriate service for support, and I will always attempt gain your consent should I need to refer you to another service, such as your GP.

  • I will need to report to the police any illegal activities or acts of terrorism disclosed to me.

  • If I am required to provide information by a court of law, I will be obliged to comply.

  • I am required by the BACP and the NCS to have regular supervision with a registered and trained counselling supervisor. I will discuss your case with my supervisor using first name only, and I will not disclose any information that might identify you. Supervision is in place to ensure good counselling practice.

  • I am registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), and I abide by their rules for storing personal information.

Sessions

  • I provide sessions of 50 minutes duration. I will ensure sessions begin and end on time, and it is your responsibility to attend the session on time, arriving no earlier than 5 minutes before your appointment if attending in person sessions. If you are having telephone or online sessions, it is your responsibility to accept my telephone call by my second attempt to make the call, or to attend the VSee meeting at our agreed time using the link I will email to you before your session. There is no need to download an app to use VSee, you simply need a wifi/ethernet connection, and you click a link in the email.

  • I do not record telephone or online counselling sessions, and I ask that you do not record sessions unless we have specifically agreed this in advance.

  • Our sessions will end at the allotted time to allow for scheduled client appointments.

  • In person sessions are held in a room at my home. There will be antibacterial hand gel available on entering and leaving the premises. A window can be open to aid air flow and reduce the spread of COVID-19, weather permitting. Please do not attend sessions if unwell and give 24 hours’ notice if possible. There are 3 steps up to the house, and should you need the bathroom, please be aware that it is a family bathroom and that it is situated on the first floor.

  • When working online or over the telephone, I work from a quiet, private place, and I ask that you also ensure that you are in a quiet, private place, or somewhere that feels safe, so that we are free to discuss sensitive issues.

  • I ask that, if possible, you abstain from alcohol or other unprescribed substances prior to counselling, as this can affect our ability to make good enough psychological contact to allow for counselling to take place.

  • I will always try to contact you in advance to let you know if I am unavailable for a counselling session, and I ask that you do the same. Please give as much notice as possible if you are unable to attend a session. It might be possible to arrange a different appointment.

  • If you cancel a session with less than 24 hours’ notice, the full session fee is payable. This might sound harsh, but it is to ensure my ability to continue to provide a counselling service, and it encourages you to prioritise our work and gain as much as possible from your counselling sessions. Counselling is more effective when carried out regularly. I book a regular session time that can be rearranged with mutual agreement.

Fees

  • I offer a free introductory 15-minute telephone consultation to enable us to see if working together feels right for both of us.

  • If you wish to continue with counselling, I provide an agreed appointment time with the option to continue as needed with regular reviews.

  • Charges are £50 per 50 minute session payable in advance of your session, usually by bank transfer.

  • If you do not pay for a session, we will be unable to proceed with the next session. Please contact me if you are having financial difficulties, and we can talk about how to proceed.

  • I provide weekly invoices sent after payment as a receipt by email, or by post if you prefer.

  • I prefer to use online banking for payment, but if you do not use online banking, please let me know and we can find a way that suits you better. My details are:

Mrs Louise Diffey

Bank Details will be here

Sort Code: **-**-**

Account Number: ********

 

Notes

I keep session notes that are brief and anonymised. You may ask to see these at any time.

Reviews and Endings

We will regularly review whether you are finding counselling helpful, and you are free to end counselling at any time. I usually ask that you talk about an ending with me in advance, so that we can plan an ending and review our work together.

Emergencies

I will try to answer any calls or emails with 24 hours, but I do not provide a crisis service. If you experience a mental health crisis, please always call your GP, Samaritans on 116 123, or the mental health crisis team if you have access to this.

Complaints

I endeavour to ensure that you benefit from your therapy. I encourage you to let me know if you have concerns about any aspect of our sessions. If we are unable to resolve an issue and you wish to make a complaint, you can contact the BACP here: https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/get-help-with-counselling-concerns-service/ or by telephone or email on call us on 01455 883300 or 07811 762114 or 07811 762256 or email gethelp@bacp.co.uk

Contact

Please provide contact details with which you are happy to be contacted by me to confirm, reschedule or cancel a session, highlight concerns, or troubleshoot technology problems. I keep basic personal details as below. Your details will never be used for marketing.

Phone:

Email:

Address:

Date of Birth:

Gender if happy to disclose:

Preferred pronoun (optional):

Emergency Contact

Name:

Mobile Number:

Relationship:

GP Name and Contact Details (for emergency use only)

GP Name/Surgery:

Address:

Telephone:

Louise Diffey Contact Details

Email: lightstepcounselling@gmail.com

Mobile: 0117 450 2905

Thank you for taking care to read this contract. I look forward to working with you!

I confirm that I have read and agree to the information set out above:

 

Client Name:

 

Client Signature:                                            Date:

Louise Diffey:         Louise Diffey                   Date:

 

*Please sign and return the contract to me at lightstepcounselling@gmail.com

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