Counselling & Psychotherapy Agreement
My name: Nel Clarke
Type of counsellor: Integrative Counsellor – MBACP Lvl 4 CPCAB Integrative Counselling
Aim of Counselling and Psychotherapy
Counselling is a form of talking therapy which aims to assist you, as the client, to explore and process experiences both past and present. Often, counselling is used to support someone through a difficult time, but it can also be used long term to assist in the process of personal development and growth. I use an integrative approach, which means I combine approaches to support my clients move towards their therapeutic goals which we will discuss together. My aim is to provide you, the client, with a space to explore personal issues and my role is to support you through that journey.
What you can Expect
Time and Place (online and face to face)
Each session will be at a mutually agreed time. Usually at the same time, on the same day each week.
Sessions will be 50 minutes, if you are late for a session, we will still finish at the scheduled time.
Session Review
We will continue to review our work to ensure that we are working to your best interests and that you are getting what you hope to get from this experience.
Ethics
I adhere to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) ethical principles. A full copy of their ethics can be found on the BACP website www.bacp.co.uk.
Legal Stuff
Our work is subject to English and Welsh law with the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the United Kingdom.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is an essential part of the counselling process however; it can never be absolute. In some instances, information may be shared without consent where:
- there is evidence that you intend to cause significant harm to yourself, or harm someone else,
- there is involvement in acts of terrorism,
- there are safeguarding concerns connected to children and vulnerable adults.
I will try to inform you if I feel confidentiality needs to be breached, but this is not guaranteed.
Supervision and Note taking
My work is overseen by regular supervision. A supervisor provides me with additional support to ensure I am working safely and in my client’s best interests.
I make brief notes after each session to help keep track of what we’ve discussed. All notes are anonymised; each client is given a code name for their notes. Please see my Privacy Notice for more information.
A client note may look like this:
‘Discussed relationship breakdown and feelings of rejection and abandonment.’
Boundaries
In the event we bump into each other outside of a session I will not approach you or try and speak with you, this is to protect your confidentiality.
Open Communication
At times therapy can be emotionally demanding and distressing. You may feel the need to end or be reluctant to attend. If you find yourself struggling, have frustrations or feel the therapy is not working please talk to me.
- Use of AI
I do not use AI tools to complete client notes or prepare for supervision. If you find it helpful to use AI, I encourage you to explore that in our sessions together.
- Social Media
Whilst I do not have any public social media accounts, if you happen to search and find me online please know I do not accept friend request from current or former clients.
- Third Parties
There may be circumstances where you would like a third party involved in your counselling. I do not provide a couple’s service so under normal circumstances I would not accept working with anyone alongside the client in sessions. I understand there may be times when a third party in sessions may be necessary where there is a need to make reasonable adjustments to access. Please talk to me if you feel this might affect you. You can also read my equality and diversity statement for further information.
- Use of Resources
I may use creative resources to assist in our work together. These might include working with cards or visual aids. I may also suggest resources that you can explore in your own time but, please be mindful that engaging with certain resources may bring up unexpected thoughts or feelings. I will always introduce and explain any resources that I might suggest, but you are free to decide if you consent to their use. There is no pressure to take part in any activity, and you are free to change your mind at any stage. If you feel uncomfortable or unsure, please talk to me.
Cancellation policy
- Cancellation of an appointment with less than 24 hours’ notice will incur the full fee of the session.
- Missed sessions (unattended with no prior reason given) will incur the full fee of the session.
- Two missed sessions in a row (unattended with no prior reason given) may result in the termination of the therapeutic work.
I will inform you, the client, as far in advance as possible if I need to cancel a session and will arrange with the you whether it is appropriate to reschedule.
Ending Therapy
Therapy is a professional therapeutic relationship, and it will end at some point. As a client, you are welcome to have as many sessions as you feel necessary and to end therapy at any point that feels right.
In some circumstance, I might feel I am not able to provide you with the support you need and that continuing counselling would be unethical. If this happens, I will talk to you about my concerns and may suggest referral to another professional.
Payment
My fee for a 50-minute session is £60 payable in advance of each session. If you are unable to make payment, please let me know as soon as possible. If payment is consistently missed this may result in termination of the therapeutic work. I will review my fees annually in April and inform you of any changes.
Bank Details:
Contact outside sessions
Contact between client and therapist between sessions relates only to administrative tasks. The primary modes of contact will be:
Email: nelcounselling@outlook.com.
Phone:
If you are in a crisis and need to speak to someone immediately, please contact your GP, the emergency services on 999, or the Samaritans on 116123.
Client Name:
Client Signature:
Counsellor Name:
Counsellor Signature:
Date:
Client Details
Client Name:
Date of Birth:
Contact Number:
Emergency Contact:
GP Surgery & Address:(Please note that these details will only be used if there is a safety concern where significant risk of harm to you or someone else is assessed.