The practical stuff
Availability
Appointments are available Monday to Thursday between 4.00 pm and 8.00 pm, and on Friday between 3.00 pm and 7.00 pm. Mornings and Saturdays are devoted to research activities and personal development.
Fees
Individuals: £80
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Couples: £110
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All sessions are payable, including the initial session.
Payment
A pre-payment system applies, which means that each session that you undertake is paid for a week in advance.
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Sessions which have been prepaid are not refundable.
Attendance and communication
Each session last 50 minutes and takes place on a weekly basis, unless otherwise agreed.
Arrival is at the allocated time. Sessions cannot overrun, even in case of late arrival.
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Communication mostly takes place during the sessions. Texts, telephone calls and emails are only used if necessary, for example to book, reschedule or cancel your appointments, or for previously agreed exchange of information. Where you would like to contact me but feel unsure about our boundaries, please check and discuss this with me either during your sessions or via brief messaging. Should you need to speak to me urgently, please send a text to request a brief urgent call, stating your reasons.
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I can be contacted by phone between 9.30 am and 4.00 pm, Monday to Friday, and by text or email any time, including during my annual leave. I may not always be able to reply immediately, but I do my best to respond within reasonable delays, which also depend on my access to means of communication and availability of reception.
Cancellation & missed sessions
Cancellations are allowed but should be kept to a minimum as continuity and regularity are part of the therapeutic process. In case a cancellation is necessary, you are expected to give at least 1 week notice. If a cancellation takes place under 1 week, half the fee is payable; under 48 hours before your actual time of appointment, the full fee is payable. To ensure ethical practice, no exceptions are made.
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In case of a late cancellation, you will secure your following appointment by paying on the day of the session which has been cancelled or the following day at the latest, using bank transfer.
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Subject to availability and feasibility, you may request a rebooking within the same week without additional charge. Rebooking only takes effect after it has been discussed and agreed.
For all planned cancellations or rebooking, you are expected to send me a text or email (telling me is not enough). You can do this at any time, including when I am on holidays.
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The request to pay for a late cancellation may trigger an emotional response. For this reason, you may find it useful to read the rationale which lies behind cancellation policies in psychotherapy and the specifics of my policy (see the PDF document).
Number of sessions & ending
The decision concerning the duration of your counselling (which can be short or long term) is entirely up to you, even though you may want to discuss it with me. It is recommended that you leave enough time to really engage with the counselling process before you seriously start evaluating your progress and engage in a reflection regarding how long your counselling might be.
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At some point, evaluation of your progress will reveal the appropriateness of an ending. We will then concentrate on preparing and managing it in ways which allow you to reach a sense of closure. However, you have the overriding right to cancel or interrupt your counselling whenever you consider that this is the right thing to do.
Like you, I reserve the right to end the counselling at any time. However, I will not do so without a good reason, personal or professional. One reason may be the accumulation of missed sessions or failures to cancel in time.
Confidentiality & disclosure
The sessions are strictly confidential, in adherence with the Code of Ethics and Practice of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). As an exception, I may need to refer to your case during my professional supervision (all counsellors/ psychotherapists have supervision to help them in their work). However, your name and identity will always be kept confidential.
The confidentiality clause does not apply in the following exceptional circumstances, where not to disclose would break the law: if you are considered to be a serious risk to yourself or other people; if you are involved in illegal activities and/or acts of terrorism; if a child could be at risk of harm or neglect, as required by The Children Act 1989. I would aim to discuss with you before taking any action. However, this would depend on the particular circumstances.
The Code of Ethics and Practice of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) is available online at http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical_framework/
Data protection
The notice in the PDF explains how the personal data of my clients are used and held in relation to the services that I offer under the General Data Protection Regulations 2018.
EMF protection
​A heightened sensitivity to EMF (Electric and Magnetic Fields) constrains me to request that all electronic devices, including watches, should be turned off (NOT on silent or airport mode) for the duration of your visit. I thank you in advance for this small precaution which has a big impact, including on my ability to work and provide the expected service.
Allergy
A friendly cat (Neo) lives in the house where my practice is situated, but does not usually go in the meeting room.
What to expect
To PDF document on the right tells you what to expect for your first session. You may find it useful if you feel a little unsure or apprehensive before our first meeting, or if you are simply curious about the process. Reading it is optional and left to your discretion.