Private therapy arrangements

COVID 19 - since March 2020, I have worked entirely online rather than meeting clients face-to-face. I have continued with online working after lockdown for the safety of clients and myself. My professional body, British Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapists, have recommended this method be used until the pandemic dissipates. I am mainly using Zoom as an electronic platform, but I have also been using FaceTime and WhatsApp video. It’s important that clients let me know their preference before we commence therapy.

1. Consent to these arrangements
If you have any questions or concerns about these arrangements, please raise them with me either by email or in our first therapy session. It is important that we both agree a shared basis for the therapy engagement.

2. Information I keep and what I do with it
Your information is kept in line with the legal requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This requires me to give you the following information:

I make notes at the end of sessions to aid me with my work. I keep all of my notes on a password-protected computer. No one, apart from me has access to these records. Any work completed by you in the sessions is kept in a locked filing cabinet. The work you complete does not contain any data which is identifiable. I will keep my notes for 6 years and then destroy them. When you leave therapy, you will take any notes you have made in sessions with you. I will delete emails once a year for clients that I am no longer working with.

I transfer any identifiable information like name, address and phone number onto the password-protected computer as soon as it is given to me. Your phone number is stored in a password-protected phone with a code identifiable only to me.

I make notes on our sessions to aid my memory and to help us with our work. They are facts about what you have told me rather than interpretations and I may log ideas for exploration. You have the right to see your notes, have notes corrected, transfer them to someone else or to have your notes destroyed on request, except in any rare circumstances where this contravenes law. I have 30 days to respond to your request for any of the above. If you would like more information about the GDPR then visit www.ico.org.uk.

3. Session Times and Frequency
Sessions are usually weekly at an agreed time and last for one hour. Please let me know if you will be late or unable to come to a session. Sessions missed without prior notice, (24 hours) will be chargeable.

We will meet for an initial assessment session. If we decide to work together, we will agree to commit to a number of sessions, usually 6-8. We can review at this point and agree whether a number of further sessions would be helpful to you.

4. Confidentiality and the limits of confidentiality
The content of our sessions is confidential, although I will need to discuss our work with my supervisor. This is standard practice and your identity is not revealed. In exceptional circumstances, where there is a significant risk that you may harm yourself or others, or if risk to someone else is apparent, I will inform you of my need to break confidentiality and contact the relevant agency. I would be liable to civil or court procedure if such information was not disclosed.

5. Payment
Sessions cost £70 per hour. I prefer payment to be made by bank transfer. Payment needs to be made in advance of the session.

Alternatively, I do accept cash in session, on the occasion that bank transfer is not possible. I’m afraid I cannot accept cheques. Receipts will be provided.

My charges will be reviewed periodically. I will give at least one month’s notice of any increase.

6. Supervision and training
As required by the British Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapists (BABCP), I receive regular professional supervision by an accredited supervisor. Another requirement of my continuing accredited membership of the BABCP is that I undertake on-going training and self-development, ensuring that my practice is continually updated. This may be in the form of reading, attending workshops or conferences.

7. Optional recording of sessions
It is sometimes helpful to record sessions so that I can play a brief excerpt to my supervisor. However, recording is entirely optional and I will ask for your consent on each occasion, before any recording occurs. If you do not want sessions to be recorded, please do not hesitate to tell me. Recordings will be anonymous, securely stored and will be destroyed within a month of completion of the course of therapy or sooner at your request./p>

8. Commitment
At times you may find CBT to be demanding and emotional. Please make a firm commitment to attend regularly and keep absences to a minimum.

9. Holidays and cancellations
I will inform you of holiday dates well in advance. I provide as much notice as possible of any cancellation due to sickness. These sessions will not be chargeable.

Please provide me with 14 days’ notice of holiday dates and at least 24 hours’ notice of other cancellations. Sessions missed without prior notice will be chargeable.

10. Contact outside of sessions
The telephone numbers and email addresses above are for use in the case of cancellations, alterations or in case of actual emergency.

11. Ending the therapy
In the normal course of events, therapy is likely to finish at the end of an agreed number of sessions. You may end at any time you wish. However, advance notice of two weeks is required to ensure that we can round off our work and end in a safe manner.

12. Right to refuse
Please do not turn up under the influence of drugs or alcohol, as I may not be able to see you.

13. Ethics and code of conduct
I work within the BACP ethical framework for good practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy. You can find copies of the frameworks:
https://www.bacp.co.uk/events-and-resources/ethics-and-standards/ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions/
BABCP-Standards-of-Conduct-Performance-and-Ethics-0917.pdf