Terms and conditions of service provided by Ballinasloe Counselling and Psychotherapy
1. Duration and number of sessions
The initial number of sessions planned will be discussed at the first meeting, and this will be reviewed periodically during the course of therapy. The duration of each therapy session is 50 minutes, and it is your responsibility to arrive on time. It is not possible to extend appointments beyond the time scheduled.
2. Commitment to therapy
Coming to therapy is a commitment by you to your own wellbeing. Having made the decision to attend it is important that you keep coming regularly. Weekly sessions are more beneficial than fortnightly ones. The process of therapy can bring up strong emotions, and you will be helped to regulate these so that they are not overwhelming. Difficult issues can arise in therapy, and it is important for your wellbeing that any decision to end therapy is not taken suddenly but is discussed in advance so that you can end therapy safely and in a planned way.
3. Payment of fee
The agreed fee is € 65 per session. It is expected that the fee will be paid at the end of each session. Fees may be reviewed periodically by agreement.
4. Cancellation or Change of Appointment
The scheduled appointment time will be reserved for you each week (except for bank holidays and other holidays notified in advance by either party). Missed appointments mean that the hour reserved for you could have been used by someone else. For this reason, save in cases of serious illness or emergencies, I ask that you give me 48 hours notice (2 full working days) of cancellation of a session. If this notice is not given the fee for the missed session will be charged. Re-arrangement of cancelled sessions is subject to availability.
5. Doctor’s referrals
In the case of clients referred directly by a doctor or other agency, I will, as a matter of professional courtesy, and unless otherwise requested by you, acknowledge such referrals by confirming that an initial appointment has been made.
6. Supervision and ethical practice
I am accredited with the Irish Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (IACP). I will adhere to the IACP’s Code of Ethics which can be viewed at http://www.iacp.ie/iacp-code-of-ethics. All therapists attend supervision to ensure safe and ethical practice. Supervision of my work with you is conducted in accordance with the IACP guidelines for supervised client-work.
7. Confidentiality and its limits
While what is spoken about in therapy is treated in strict confidence there are some limits to that confidentiality:
I have an ethical obligation to seek to put supports in place if I believe that you are at risk of causing harm to yourself. Where possible this will be done through discussion with you and development of an individual safety plan with you.
I have a legal obligation to advise outside agencies where there are grounds for believing that you, or a person identifiable from information provided by you, will cause physical harm to another.
By law, I am a mandated person under the Children First Act 2015 and I have a legal obligation to report any knowledge, belief or reasonable grounds for suspecting that a child has been is being, or is at risk of being abused. This includes physical, psychological and sexual abuse and child neglect. As a therapist, I am also committed to supporting you in working through the trauma of such abuse, the hurt it has caused you, and the difficulties you may be having in your life as a result. I fully understand the difficulty that reporting may present and wish to assure you that I will support you with sensitivity in making a report if that is necessary. I will outline the process of reporting and will answer any queries you may have when we meet. Please don’t allow this to stand in the way of your healing.
I am obliged to produce records to a court when served with a subpoena.
8. Records and Data Protection
Client records will be kept in electronic format, under encryption, on my computer. All Data Protection legislation will be complied with. At the first session a client intake form will be completed giving relevant background information about you; any medical conditions; any substance dependencies; any previous experience of counselling; G.P. details, and contact details. This information will be inputted to my computer as soon as practicable and the written copy destroyed. Brief notes will be made by me after each session and retained in electronic format, under encryption, on my computer. All records relating to you will be erased from the computer after a period of 6 years from the date of the last meeting, or 6 years from your eighteenth birthday, whichever is the later. Clients attending for individual therapy will be provided with a copy of these records on receipt of a written request. Records of couples therapy will only be provided to both parties upon written request of both parties.