Counselling Agreement

2) Purpose of counselling

To provide a confidential, boundaried space to explore feelings, experiences and patterns.

To support insight, emotional processing and practical change where appropriate.

To work in a way that prioritises safety, dignity and autonomy.

3) Approach and way of working

Therapeutic approach: pluralistic neurodiversity affirmative framework.

How sessions typically work

• Sessions are collaborative and guided by your goals and what feels most important.
• You can share as much or as little as you choose.
• Support can include collaboration on issues, but the Therapist does not provide direct instructions or tell you what to do.

Between-session tasks (optional): Reflection prompts | Skills practice | Reading/resources

What counselling is not

• Counselling is not an emergency service.
• Counselling is not a substitute for medical care.

4) Practical arrangements

Session type: Individual | Joint/Relationship | Family | Other to be agreed at the start

Frequency: default weekly | flexible | client defined

Session length: 50 minutes

Format: Online (platform: Zoom)

What Therapist offers (service commitments)

• A confidential space via sessions to explore feelings and experiences.
• Advance notice if a session cannot go ahead and an offer of a replacement session.
• Secure and encrypted storage of information.
• A recurring video link before the first session (for online work).

Client responsibilities (session readiness)

• Attend sessions regularly and on time.
• Review the privacy policy of the video platform.
• Check internet and equipment before sessions and attempt to reconnect if interrupted.
• Ensure you are in a quiet, private space and remain appropriately dressed.
• If using the phone, ensure privacy and focus.

Fees (per session)

Individual counselling: £95

Joint/relationship counselling: £115

Concession: up to £30 reduction for students or people in receipt of income-related benefits (evidence may be requested).

Fees may be reviewed and increased once a year. Any increase applies to new clients only. Existing clients retain the fee agreed at the start of our work together for the duration of the therapeutic relationship.

Payment

• Payment is due at least 24 hours before each session.
• Payment method: bank transfer, bank details specified in the invoice.
• If payment has not been received by the deadline, Therapist may suspend (pause) sessions and any further work until payment is received.
• The Therapist will usually notify you in writing and offer a reasonable opportunity to bring the account up to date.
• Where there is a genuine dispute about an amount due, you agree to pay any undisputed amount while we work to resolve the disputed part. The Therapist will not suspend services solely because you are disputing an amount in good faith.

14-day cooling-off period (where applicable)

• If you enter into this agreement at a distance (for example, online or by email) and you are a consumer, you may have a legal right to cancel within 14 days of the start date of the contract.
• If you ask to start sessions during the cooling-off period, and you then cancel within those 14 days, you may still need to pay for any sessions already delivered (and reasonable costs incurred) up to the point of cancellation.
• If the service has been fully performed within the 14-day period at your request, the right to cancel may not apply.

Cancellations and missed sessions

• Minimum notice for cancellation/rescheduling: 24 hours.
• Less than 24 hours' notice of cancellation: full fee applies.
• If Therapist cancels, or if 24 hours' notice is given, payment will be carried forward to a rearranged session or refunded (as agreed).
• If you do not join within 20 minutes of the start time, the session will close and the full fee applies.
• Two missed sessions without notice will usually result in case closure.

Technical issues (online sessions)

Therapist is not liable for technical, internet or software issues on the client side. Session time continues to run during interruptions.

Force majeure (events outside reasonable control)

• Neither party will be liable for failure to perform, or delay in performing, obligations under this agreement where that failure or delay is caused by events outside reasonable control (for example: serious illness, accident, bereavement, fire, flood, severe weather, war, terrorism, civil unrest, epidemic or pandemic restrictions, major transport disruption or loss of power/internet affecting the service).
• Where a force majeure event occurs, the affected party will notify the other as soon as reasonably possible.
• Sessions affected by force majeure will be rearranged as soon as reasonably possible. Payments already made will be carried forward to the rearranged session, or refunded if rearrangement is not possible within a reasonable timeframe.
• This clause does not remove the need to manage risk and safeguarding appropriately. If urgent support is needed, use the routes in Section 7.

5) Accessibility, disability disclosure and reasonable adjustments

Commitment to access and non-discrimination

• The Therapist provides counselling in a manner intended to be accessible, respectful and non-discriminatory.
• We will work together to identify and reduce barriers to participation.

Disability disclosure (optional)

• You are not required to disclose a disability, diagnosis or health condition.
• If you choose to disclose (in whole or in part), this will be used only to support access and effective working.

Requesting reasonable adjustments

• You may request reasonable adjustments at any time (including before the first session).
• Requests can be made by email or in session. The Therapist will respond within 7 working days with a proposal, questions or an explanation if an adjustment is not feasible.

Continuity, energy management and flexibility (including disability-related cancellations)

Because therapy often relies on rhythm and predictability, and because bodies and lives sometimes interrupt the best-laid plans, the following applies:

• Therapist manages workload and energy so sessions can be offered consistently.
• On rare occasions, Therapist may need to cancel at short notice due to circumstances beyond their control (including health, disability-related needs or unforeseeable caring demands).
• Therapist will give as much notice as possible and will offer the earliest available replacement session.
• If a short-notice cancellation happens, we will name and hold its impact in the next session (for example: disruption to rhythm, abandonment/attachment triggers, anxiety or practical knock-on effects). This is part of ethical working, not an afterthought.

6) Confidentiality, safeguarding and information sharing

General principle

Sessions are confidential.

Limits of confidentiality

Information may be shared if:

• There is a serious risk of harm to you or another person.
• There is a safeguarding concern regarding a child or an adult at risk.
• There is a serious concern about abuse, exploitation, domestic violence, forced marriage or other safeguarding-related harm.
• Disclosure is required by law or a court order (for example, in relation to serious crime or terrorism concerns).

How disclosure would be handled

• Where possible, Therapist will discuss this with you before sharing.
• If urgent, Olena may act immediately to protect safety and will inform you as soon as practicable.
• Any disclosure will be proportionate and limited to what is necessary.

Sharing with agreed parties

Information may be shared with agreed parties (for example, your GP, another professional or a partner) only with your knowledge and consent, unless an exception above applies.

GP details

You agree to provide GP details to support safeguarding where needed.

7) Emergency and crisis support

Therapist cannot provide emergency support. If you are in crisis, you will contact appropriate services in your country.

UK: Samaritans 116 123 (24/7). You can also email jo@samaritans.org.

England: for urgent mental health advice contact NHS 111 (call 111 and select the mental health option, or use 111 online).

If there is an immediate risk to life, call 999 or attend A&E.

An international directory of helplines is available at helpguide.org/find-help.

8) Supervision and data handling

Supervision

• Olena has professional supervision but does not share identifying details wherever possible.
• Safeguarding concerns may require sharing information with relevant agencies; Olena will aim to discuss this first.

Notes and data handling

• Notes are kept securely and encrypted.
• No information is sold or shared with third parties for marketing.

ICO and data protection

Therapist pays the ICO data protection fee where required and works in line with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

ICO registration: ZA766482

Retention

Data is stored for up to 7 years after sessions end.

9) Digital and online boundaries

• No engagement outside sessions, including online.
• Emails and texts are for scheduling only.
• Therapy is not provided via correspondence.
• Phones should be silent/off during sessions (unless needed for the session). Emergencies only.
• Voice-activated devices (for example, smart speakers) should be disabled where possible during sessions.

10) Recordings

• Sessions are not recorded by Therapist unless explicitly agreed in advance.
• Clients may not record sessions without prior written agreement.

11) Complaints and concerns

Stepwise resolution

• Raise the concern directly with Therapist (in session or in writing).
• If unresolved, arrange a specific meeting to address the issue.
• If still unresolved, complaints can be directed to BACP.

12) Review, pauses and ending counselling

Review

We will review progress and fit at agreed intervals.

Pausing therapy

Either party may propose a pause. We will aim to agree what happens to scheduled sessions, fees and any planned check-ins.

Ending therapy

Either party may end therapy. Where possible, we will plan an ending session to review the work and discuss next steps.

You agree to inform Therapist if you wish to end therapy.

13) Research consent

Some anonymised data may be used to improve neurodiversity-affirming practice, training, service development or publication.

• Data will be de-identified before sharing or publication.
• Participation is voluntary and you can withdraw at any time.

14) Declarations

Both parties confirm:

• The information provided in Section 1 is accurate.
• They understand and agree to the terms in this agreement.

15) Governing law and jurisdiction

This agreement is governed by the law of England and Wales, regardless of the client's country of residence.

The parties agree that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction.