Our Counselling Agreement

We think it is helpful to offer a clear sense of what we are both agreeing to when we embark on our counselling journey together. We’ve tried to keep this jargon-free and focused on being clear and open with you about what we are agreeing to. If there is anything you are not sure about or have questions about, please let us know.  

As a Person-Centred counselling service we aim to be ‘client-led’ and do not offer advice but rather help you find the answers that lie within you. We will accept you as who you are and listen to you in a non-judgemental way and offer you a confidential service – unless you give us cause for concern.

We will frequently check with you whether counselling is helping – if not we will do our best to find alternative support for you.

Confidentiality

Your sessions remain confidential between us. Our counsellors are registered members of either the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) or COSCA (Counselling & Psychotherapy in Scotland) and adhere to the BACP’s and COSCA’s Ethical Framework for Good Practice (see here).

Part of a Counsellor’s ethical practice is that they are required to attend regular supervision where your case may be discussed. In these circumstances, any information will be anonymised, and you will not be identifiable from any material that may be shared.

The only time we may need to break our confidentiality agreement is if your counsellor thinks you may be in danger of harming yourself or someone else, or if you express an intent to break the law. However, where possible, your counsellor would seek to discuss these issues with you first.

No audio or video recordings are to take place without the express agreement of the client and counsellor.

Sessions

Your counselling sessions will last for 50 minutes and occur with the frequency and at a time mutually agreed.

If your counsellor is unable to attend a session due to illness or other unforeseen circumstances, they will let you know in advance either by text message or email. Similarly, if you are unable to attend your session, please get in touch no less than 24 hours prior to your appointment (please see cancellation policy details here). Contact outside of your sessions will be limited to rearranging session times and dates.

 Ending the counselling sessions

The number of counselling sessions required is totally unique to each client.

You can end the counselling sessions at any time. Ending is an important part of the process, with opportunities for further learning and we encourage clients to make it a collaborative process and one where you feel supported and ready to move on from counselling sessions.

Emergency requirements

If you feel you are in immediate crisis with your mental health, please get in touch with your doctor or emergency services in your area. Alternatively, you can contact some the organisations listed on our Resources page.

Data protection

You consent to your personal and sensitive information being used, in line with GDPR and data protection procedures, to record attendance at appointments, and to take notes of counselling sessions and assessments.

Online or Phone Counselling

By undertaking online counselling, both your counsellor and you as the client agree to be in a quiet appropriate and undisturbed confidential space and ensure you both have functional coverage or internet connection or offer an alternative mode of contact for your counsellor to use if this is not the case.

Walk and Talk Counselling

By undertaking counselling in an outdoor setting you agree you are responsible for setting the walking pace of the walk and talk session and understand that this is not exercise or workout training, and agree to communicate with your counsellor whether you are uncomfortable physically or emotionally while participating in walk/talk therapy.

With regards to confidentiality whilst undertaking walk and talk counselling, you are aware that if you encounter a person you know, you have the right to disclose or not to disclose that you are in a therapy session. Your counsellor agrees to will follow your lead should you encounter a person you know, and they will make every effort to preserve client confidentiality and privacy while conducting a walk and talk therapy session.
If your counsellor should come into contact with a person they know, they will not acknowledge you as a client or the walk and talk therapy session as counselling to preserve confidentiality.