Perth; Scotland; United Kingdom
Informed Consent
Please take time to read this information carefully it provides information for you accessing services undertaken by Rachel Coleman Counselling & Psychotherapy.
The process of Counselling and Psychotherapy
Participating in sessions can be beneficial it can help to address specific issues; for example trauma, grief, loss, depression, difficult feelings or other issues causing you concern that you have.
Achieving benefits and results through sessions requires your commitment, I rely on your involvement, honesty, and openness so we can work together. I record brief notes after each session these will be stored appropriately by me. I will ask for regular feedback and views on how you feel you are progressing, this may be in the format of a questionnaire/s. This information will be stored securely and in line with GDPR.
Sessions can bring up some difficult feelings and I am here to help you work through and manage these feelings. I am trained and qualified in several different therapies that can be helpful in working with the issues that you bring and managing what you are feeling. I may challenge some of your assumptions or perceptions or propose different ways of looking at, thinking about, or handling situations that you may find difficult. If this is the case, I would encourage you to share your thoughts and feelings with me.
You may well have approached me requesting to work with a specific approach which I would discuss with you. It is helpful for me to know if you have had previous experience of counselling or other therapies and how this has been for you.
At the beginning of our working together I will focus on gaining an understanding of what has happened, and how you feel it impacts on you now. This includes an honest and detailed history of what you feel has caused the difficulties you have now, any triggers, or other issues and what you would like to achieve from our sessions together. For some people this may take a number of sessions and is really important. If you have any questions about any of the therapeutic techniques I am happy to answer them for you at any point.
Online counselling or supervision - please ensure that you have appropriate technology, Wi-fi and an quiet space for the sessions to take place in; free from interruptions. I am happy to offer a free initial short online meeting to check this is suitable for you. If we are scheduled for an online session and we are unable to connect or are disconnected during a session due to a technological breakdown, please try to reconnect within 10 minutes. If reconnection is not possible, we can either move to a telephone session or re-organise.
Frequency of Sessions and breaks in therapy
In relation to Counselling and EMDR it is recommended that sessions take place weekly or fortnightly. There may be occasions where regular sessions take place monthly, for example Counselling Supervision or when nearing the end of therapy.
If you are accessing sessions weekly in general there will be a session available each week, if you have sessions fortnightly there will be sessions available on a bi-weekly basis, please note if you cancel a session and we work less than weekly then the following next available appointment may not be available until 2 weeks or more dependent on the frequency of your sessions.
If you want to take a break from therapy it is important to have this discussion. Any absence longer than 4 weeks will require a fee to be paid to protect your space. Alternatively it may be more appropriate to re-join my waiting list and you will be offered sessions again when a space is available.
Dual Relationships
Not all dual relationships are unethical or avoidable. However, sexual involvement between therapist and client is never part of the therapy process as well as other actions or dual relationship situations that might impair my objectivity, or therapeutic effectiveness or could be exploitative in nature. In addition, I will never acknowledge working therapeutically with anyone without their written permission. In some instances, even with permission, I will preserve the integrity of our working relationship.
Please note that it is not ethical or appropriate for me accept any ‘friend’ invitations through personal social networking sites such as Facebook, Linkedin or Pinterest. I have a Facebook page Rachel Coleman Counselling & Psychotherapy which you are welcome to like that I post information and inspirational quotes on from time to time, please be aware that if you post or comment on this page it will be public. Any information that is not suitable will be removed.
Ending of Sessions
If for any reason during our initial correspondence or sessions I felt that you would be better suited working with another counsellor or therapist, I would discuss this with you and refer on as appropriate. You have the right to end your sessions at any time, however I would encourage you to share your reasons with me is possible.
Privacy and Confidentiality
All information shared in sessions and any written records are confidential and will not be revealed to anyone without your written consent, unless;
· disclosure is required by law;
· there is significant risk of harm to self or others.
· there are concerns about the safety of a child or vulnerable adult.
I am required by the ethical frameworks of regulatory bodies BACP/EMDR UK to discuss my case work with qualified Supervisors. You are not identified in such discussions which are intended to support me to ensure you receive the best service possible.
Please note that I do not record any sessions and ask that you do not.
Confidentiality of Online Communication
I make every effort to keep all correspondence confidential. I encourage you to consider who has access to any emails or correspondence; you may wish to communicate through a computer that you know is safe i.e. wherein confidentiality can be ensured.
Legal Limitation
Due to the nature of the therapeutic process and the fact that it often involves making a full disclosure with regard to many matters which may be of a confidential nature, it is agreed that should there be legal proceedings (such as, but not limited to divorce and custody disputes, injuries, lawsuits, etc.), neither you (client) nor your solicitor, nor anyone else acting on your behalf will call on me to testify in court or at any other proceeding, nor will a disclosure of the psychotherapy records be requested.
Considering all of the above exclusions, if it is still appropriate, upon your request, I will release information to any agency/person you specify unless I conclude that releasing such information might be harmful in any way.
Telephone and Emergency Procedures - If you need to speak with me between sessions, please call 07888741026 Your call will be returned as soon as possible. Messages are checked Monday to Friday (but never during the night time). Messages are not checked on weekends or holidays.
If you are struggling with suicidal feelings contact the Samaritans anytime on 116 123
Fee’s and Cancellation of Sessions - Current rates for therapeutic services are posted on my website. My practice is “fee for service” and that means that fees are due at the time of your appointment. I prefer payments by bank transfer or in person by Cash. If required I can take payment by credit or debit card.
All new 1 hour appointments require a deposit of £30 at the time of booking, longer sessions, smoking cessation, Hypno-band all require a minimum of a 25% deposit. The balance remaining is due at the appointment. If this session is cancelled within 24hours or more then the session can be re-scheduled at no extra cost of fee refunded if you choose to no longer access my service.
Since scheduling of an appointment involves the reservation of time specifically for you, a minimum of 24-hour notice is required for re-scheduling or cancelling an appointment. Unless we reach a different agreement the following will apply – Cancellation day before session £30 – Cancellation on the day or forgotten session will be charged at the full rate.
Where there are more than two cancellations in a row or over 50% of sessions are re-organised in a 6 session period it may be more appropriate to re-join the waiting list for a more appropriate time for you to engage with sessions. If the cancellation fee / forgotten fee has not been paid no further sessions will be booked.
If you cancel a session and request a new date and that is not confirmed within 10 working days you will risk losing your sessions.
Emergency contact - If for any reason I am unable to contact you due to an emergency, incapacity, or death I have in place an arrangement and clinical will with an individual called Shirley Smith. If something happens, she will be able to access your name, email and contact number to reach you. This will be with the potential of you waiting for my return to work or to provide initial information; support and to signpost you to look for a new counsellor or Psychotherapist.
Please note that all notes are kept in a password protected folder, they do not contain your name or other identifying details. No one other than Rachel Coleman has access, and this will be destroyed in the event of death. Paper copies of the Registration form containing your name/contact details will also be destroyed.
Disputes and Complaints -I adhere to the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy, and as such are subject to their complaints procedure. In the first instance I would encourage you to speak to me about any aspect of the service you are not happy with.
Limitations regarding online counselling - You as the client understand that distance counselling is a different experience as compared to in-person sessions, among those being the lack of "personal" face-to-face interactions, the lack of visual and audio cues in the counselling process.
Many people find that online sessions or telephone counselling bring real benefits, such as feeling more able to discuss very difficult and personal issues and not having to travel. Sometimes though people feel that they over share and can feel vulnerable. If this is the case please don’t hesitate to speak to me about this and how you are feeling. However, online counselling is different to face to face and not everyone finds it beneficial, if this is the case then please don’t hesitate to discuss with me.
You also understand that I follow the laws and professional regulations within the United Kingdom.
Reference: Informed Consent: AGREEMENT FOR PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES CONDUCTED BY DEEANNA MERZ NAGEL by DeeAnna Merz Nagel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License