This therapeutic contract is between you, and Beacon Counselling (referred to in this agreement as your counsellor). Please read and sign the following contract prior to engaging in a counselling relationship with your counsellor. I am registered with the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), and as such have to adhere to a specific ethical framework in order to ensure the wellbeing of both you the client(s), and myself. This contract is designed with you in mind, and underpins the therapeutic relationship between yourself and me as your counsellor.

Commitment

This process involves your commitment, your honesty both with yourself and your counsellor, and a genuine desire to engage. On our part, we have a genuine healing intent and provide commitment, honesty and utmost respect for you as an individual as well as our therapeutic skills. It is important that counselling is taken seriously.

Drugs and Alcohol

It is requested that you remain free of drugs and alcohol for the duration of each appointment in order that your counsellor can work with you in an authentic manner.

The Benefits of Counselling

One major benefit that may be gained from participating in counselling is the resolution of the concerns brought to therapy. Other possible benefits may be a better ability to cope with marital, family and other interpersonal relationships, and /or a greater understanding of personal goals and values.

The Risks of Counselling

There are certain risks involved in counselling. You may experience a variety of negative emotions during therapy as you remember and therapeutically resolve unpleasant events. Seeking to resolve concerns between family members, marital partners, and other persons can similarly lead to discomfort as well as relationship changes that may not be originally intended. The greatest risk of counselling is that it may not by itself resolve your concerns. Your counsellor will do their best to assess progress and provide referral to other sources that are deemed necessary and appropriate. Counselling is a collaborative process and the progress you make will depend in large measure upon your investment in the process.

Counselling Credentials and Ethical Standards

As a minimum, your counsellor has undertaken formal counselling qualifications, and has applied to take, and passed, the rigorous qualification process as defined by the BACP. You can have peace of mind knowing that your counsellor is a UK registered counsellor, and their credentials can be viewed on the BACP Therapy register (www.BACP.co.uk).  As members of the BACP we are bound by their code of ethics, copies of which can be provided to you. We take your individual boundaries seriously and seek to work in the most ethical way.

Sessions

Face to face sessions are for 60 minutes and will be every week at a day and time suitable to you and your counsellor. You may however, mutually decide to change the interval of time between sessions.

Record Keeping

Your counsellor may keep brief written notes and you are welcome to see these at any time. These notes are kept confidential and no personal details will be kept on computer or passed to other agencies. At the end of your work together, your notes will be stored securely for a period of 5 years, should you wish to return to counselling. After that time they will be destroyed by secure shredding. No electronic records will be stored after the end of counselling.

Insurance

Your counsellor holds both public liability and professional indemnity insurance. Copies of this documentation are available upon request.

Holidays

Your counsellor will give a minimum of 2 weeks' notice of any planned holiday dates when they will be unavailable. We require (where possible) at least 2 weeks notice from you of the same. Obviously, sometimes cancellations are unavoidable, but we respectfully ask for as much notice as possible.

Complaints

Should you wish to make a complaint about the service you have been offered, please in the first instance discuss this with your counsellor. If after this you feel that you would like to escalate your complaint further, please contact the BACP under whose ethics we work (available upon request).

Cost of service

The cost of service will be agreed upon during your initial session with your counsellor.

Payment of Fees

All fees should be paid at the time the service is rendered. We currently accept payment via cash, cheque, card, or BACS transfer.

Session Cancellations

Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance to avoid charge. Missed appointments will be charged the regular fee.

Final Session

You are welcome to cancel our therapeutic contract (this document) at any time, however, we request that a final session takes place, post-cancellation notice, in order to ensure that we have fulfilled our ethical obligations to you as our client, and to the BACP.