Therapy Agreement
This agreement outlines the framework for our work together, including boundaries, confidentiality, and arrangements that support your safety and wellbeing throughout the therapeutic process.
Therapy Arrangements and Boundaries
Therapy is most effective when sessions take place weekly. Weekly attendance allows just enough time between sessions to maintain continuity and build the foundations of our therapeutic relationship—such as trust, safety, and consistency.
I suggest we review our work together every six sessions. These reviews offer space to reflect on your goals for therapy, consider any adjustments you'd like to make, and acknowledge any progress or achievements.
My role is to create a safe, confidential, and supportive environment where you feel heard, respected, and free from judgement. I will offer you my care, professional expertise, and full attention, and I will always aim to work with you as transparently and ethically as possible.
I will let you know in advance of any planned breaks or holidays. If you need to cancel or reschedule a session due to planned time away, I kindly ask for at least one week’s notice.
Fees and Cancellations
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Sessions last 50 minutes and are charged at £70.
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Fees are payable via cash or card on the day, or by bank transfer the day before.
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I review my fees annually and will provide at least two weeks' notice of any changes.
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If you need to cancel a session, I require at least 72 hours’ notice. Cancellations made with less than 72 hours’ notice will be charged at the full session rate.
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If you arrive late, the session will still end at the scheduled time and be charged in full.
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Contact Between Sessions
Contact outside of sessions should be limited to administrative matters, such as scheduling. If something arises that feels important, I encourage you to bring it to our next session so we can explore it together.
In case of an emergency, I will respond as soon as I am able. However, if you are in immediate danger or experiencing a crisis, please:
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Call 999 for emergency services
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Go to your nearest A&E, if you feel able
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Contact a crisis support service such as Samaritans on 116 123
To maintain the integrity and safety of our therapeutic relationship, I do not engage in personal or social contact outside of sessions. This includes contact via social media or online forums. Maintaining this boundary helps preserve the ethical framework of our work and ensures the space remains safe and professional.
Ending Therapy
Although we may discuss the length of your therapy at the start, you are free to end at any time. Should you decide to bring our work to a close, I will always respect and support your decision. Due to the depth of the therapeutic relationship, I recommend allowing at least four sessions to process and reflect on the ending.
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Confidentiality
As a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), I adhere to their ethical guidelines. What you share in our sessions remains confidential.
In order to maintain the quality and ethical standard of my practice, I attend regular clinical supervision. During supervision, your identity remains anonymous, and I refer to you only by your initials. I also keep brief therapy notes—details of how these are stored and discarded can be found in my GDPR agreement.
There are a few exceptions to confidentiality, which I will always try to discuss with you first, wherever possible:
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If I believe you are at serious risk of harming yourself or someone else
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If you disclose intentions to end your life
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If you disclose involvement in or knowledge of terrorism or money laundering (a legal obligation)
In these cases, I may be required to break confidentiality, but I will do so with care and without judgement.
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Online Sessions
If we are meeting online, I ask that you choose a quiet, private space, free from interruptions, to help maintain the confidentiality and depth of our work. Ideally, sessions should take place in the same space each week, creating a familiar and secure setting.
Please ensure the device you use is safe and secure. If our connection is lost during a session, I will wait for up to five minutes for the connection to resume. If we’re unable to reconnect, I will offer to continue by phone or reschedule the session at no extra cost—whichever option feels best for you.
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Complaints
If you ever have concerns about our work together, I welcome the opportunity to talk about them with you. I am committed to listening and working with you to resolve any difficulties.
You also have the right to raise a complaint with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), with whom I am registered (Membership No. 387836). More information can be found on the BACP website:
www.bacp.co.uk/about-us/protecting-the-public/professional-conduct/professional-conduct-complaints-procedure
Alternatively, you can access independent advice via the BACP’s ‘Ask Kathleen’ service:
www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/ask-kathleen
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