Online Counselling Contract
Like other professional counsellors, I work to an online counselling contract with my clients. In the agreement, I set out the bounds of our relationship and what you can and cannot expect from me as your counsellor. The online counselling contract I present here is my default contract; differing situations may mean that the contract can, if necessary, be tweaked.
This contract should be read with the mentoring agreement and privacy policy.
PLEASE READ THIS DOCUMENT CAREFULLY, AS THIS ONLINE COUNSELLING CONTRACT FORMS THE BASIS OF OUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP.
It is my responsibility...
- To be available at the agreed time
- To start and end sessions on time
- To work in a quiet, appropriate and undisturbed space
- To maintain safe, professional boundaries
- To regard all contact and information as confidential unless I have reasonable doubt concerning your safety or that of others.
- I do not discuss your case with others; I ask you to extend the same courtesy.
- To encourage your autonomy
- To work within an Ethical Framework
- To review our working relationship regularly.
- To offer you a new appointment as soon as possible if I have to cancel a session.
Limits To Confidentiality…
For corporate clients: I do not provide reports or discuss your situation with anyone in your organisation. However, I do have to provide your employer with details of sessions attended or missed with corporate clients for invoicing purposes.
For Mates in Mind clients: I do not provide reports or discuss your situation with anyone in the Mates in Mind organisation. However, I may be asked to provide them with general information about using my counselling service.
However, if we discover a need to communicate with other professionals or comply with a legal requirement, then we must do so. I believe it is right to break confidentiality:
- If you or others seem to be in danger or at serious risk of being harmed
- If I am required to do so by a Court order or instructions from a coroner
- If you imply involvement in or knowledge of an act of terrorism or money laundering
- If you indicate knowledge of or involvement in drug trafficking
- If you imply knowledge of or involvement in behaviours that may lead to harm or neglect of children and vulnerable adults, in my opinion.
SUPERVISION AND CONFIDENTIALITY
I monitor my practice by attending regular supervision and am committed to self-development. Sometimes, aspects of our sessions will be taken to supervision to monitor my practice; at no time will your name or any identifiable information be mentioned. My supervisor is also committed to our contracted confidentiality.
ONWARD REFERRAL
There may be some circumstances where issues arise during our counselling work, where we might recognise that it might be more beneficial to seek more focused specialised support; in the same way, you might be referred to a consultant by your GP.
It is your responsibility...
To Attend Punctually
This is your time; sessions cannot be extended if you arrive late. If you arrive early, you will be admitted to the virtual waiting room for the session to start at the agreed time.
To Permit Me To Contact Your GP
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To grant permission to contact your GP if I have severe concerns about the risk to yourself or others. I will discuss with you my concerns beforehand.
To Discuss With Me If You Feel You Are Ready To End Therapy
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Sometimes, you or I feel that counselling may not be helping you. It is wise to come and discuss these difficulties and not end counselling suddenly; this will allow you to understand and perhaps resolve your distress.
Usually, you will know when you are ready to cease counselling, and together, we find the way that feels comfortable for you to do this.
If you or I wish to terminate counselling before the number of sessions we’ve contracted for, we agree to give each other at least two weeks’ notice. If you fail to provide notice, I reserve the right to charge for all or part of my fee for the number of sessions contracted.
Please don’t just disappear!
To Let Me Know.
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Let me know if you are in or are considering entering another therapeutic relationship (working with another mental health professional).
To Do Your Homework
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It is common practice for you to be given “homework” of some kind during the time we work together. These tasks are helpful for your therapy. If these tasks are not completed, our work together will take longer and be time-consuming and costly.
To Pay Invoices On Time
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Further sessions may be discontinued until any debt has been paid.
For private clients: My fees can be found here For corporate clients: Your employer will pay your fees.
For Diocesan/Christian charities: Your diocese/Charity will pay your fees.
For Mates in Mind Clients: The Mates in Mind charity set the cost for your first eight sessions; however, I will continue with this cost for the duration of our work together. You, the Client, are responsible for paying the session fee.
Drugs/Alcohol Policy
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Unless it is specified as part of your counselling, you agree to attend sessions free from the influence of non-prescribed drugs or alcohol. If you are under the influence, I reserve the right to cancel the session and charge you the full session fee
Our Relationship
There can be no contact between us other than the Client/Counsellor. I will be friendly but cannot be your friend outside of the relationship or be involved with you in any other relationship. If we accidentally meet outside of a session (which is possible even with online counselling!), I will acknowledge you in a brief and friendly manner only if you recognise me first; if I am with anyone else, I will not acknowledge you.
Contact outside of sessions should be limited to issues regarding the administration of our session, e.g. cancelling or rearranging sessions.
It is possible to leave a voice mail on my phone, so if I cannot answer, leave a message, email, or send a text, and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
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Record Keeping
I believe that risks abound these days and therefore only the minimum amount of information to contact and pay invoices should be kept electronically and a few notes to be kept physically.
I ask for the minimum information about you before we start our work together. I believe any other information will emerge as needed during our sessions; asking for this information up front will inevitably lead to certain assumptions about issues being made.
I make notes during our sessions, which are generally memory aids for me to ask or do certain things during the session; you are welcome to have a PDF of these notes from my notebook. I suggest you make your own notes after each session of what is important to you. I will not be responsible for transcribing my notes. My notes are kept securely and are not seen by anyone else. These notes are destroyed two years after the session, as they are really just jottings and lose immediacy over time.
Complaints
Contact outside of sessions should be limited to issues regarding the administration of our session, e.g. cancelling or rearranging sessions.
It is possible to leave a voice mail on my phone, so if I cannot answer, leave a message, email, or send a text, and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
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Legal Jurisdiction
The laws of England and Wales govern this agreement, which is subject to its courts’ exclusive jurisdiction.
Get in touch
If you feel you want to explore how I might help you, then feel free to get in touch.