SILVERSET COUNSELLING – TERMS OF COUNSELLING
Silverset Counselling Service (SCS) believes that it is important for the counselling that we offer, to be helpful and effective as possible. All assessments, counselling, supervision, coaching and mentoring sessions will be done online for the foreseeable future, due to the pandemic. Normal face-to-face sessions will resume when it is deemed safe to do so and upon proper government guidelines. Below you will find a compilation of our Terms of Counselling, for clarity, to help reduce the possibility of any misunderstanding, between counsellor and client.
HOW IT WORKS
THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS:
1. Upon your initial contact with SCS, you will have an opportunity to book an assessment via our website and you will be seen according to your availability, when you book via our online form.
The assessment session will cost £28.50 and will last for about 45-mins.
2. During your assessment, you will have an opportunity to briefly discuss your presenting issues further and discuss any help you require during therapy.
3. The session usually includes making introductions with you counsellor, who will share information about how the therapeutic work is done. Other important information such as boundaries, therapy cost (sliding scale basis), etc will be discussed. Then afterwards, you can contract to meet for regular therapy sessions via your chosen medium (Zoom, Skype, Teams, FaceTime, WhatsApp, or phone) and to commence at a day and time that is suitable for you.
4. You will be assigned a counsellor, who will contact you to arrange your first counselling session, according to your chosen medium. At your first appointment, your counsellor will provide a contract, which is an agreement for both of you to work together, during your therapy.
THERAPY SESSIONS:
1. During therapy sessions, you and your counsellor may engage in interactive mindfulness exercises, such as the breathing technique, empty chair scenario, and other therapeutic tools, like the conversational cubes, tools in a jar, the sandbox, also reading short therapy excerpts, filling in review forms, etc. Although directive in some sense, everything done in therapy is always beneficial for clients and no way undermines the therapeutic process. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to discuss this with your counsellor.
2. As a result of the pandemic, some of the face-to-face activities have had to be suspended, such as the sandbox. Instead, only online interactive exercises and tools are being used, such as the breathing technique and other therapeutic tools.
3. The number of sessions for therapy, whether long-term or short-term can be discussed between you and your counsellor. During the course of your therapy, between (3 to 4 weeks) the working relationship and therapy will be reviewed between you and your therapist.
4. Silverset Counselling Service cannot accept responsibility for the client’s response to counselling and that the client acknowledges any advice or assistance given during counselling does not create any legal liability, on the part of the individual counsellor or of Silverset Counselling Service.
5. We do not give any medical advice or give any medical diagnosis. However, your therapist may give guidance and will encourage any client with a medical illness or condition, to seek advice from a medical doctor.
PAYMENT:
1. Counselling fees are paid on a bi-weekly basis. Therefore, before you decide to schedule your first therapy sessions, please be aware that the 1st and 2nd sessions should be paid at least one to two days before you begin. Counsellors may ask that you make payment before your sessions can resume.
APPOINTMENTS:
- Appointments are available on a first-come, first-serve basis through our website booking. In the event where we receive more client bookings and where counsellors are unavailable, you may be put on our brief waiting list, until a counsellor is available to take on more clients. Our waiting list may last for at least one month of your booking. Please be patient while we arrange for your first appointment.
- Sometimes, we receive more requests for help than we can meet. Therefore, we do ask that appointments are kept as scheduled, unless real emergencies occur. In which case, you should inform your counsellor as soon as possible, within 24-hr’s notice.
- If you miss your appointment without notice or unable to cancel within one week, a cancellation fee equivalent to your full therapy sessions, will be incurred. Therefore, your missed appointment will be deducted from your pre-paid session, and you would be expected to pay for your missed appointment before therapy can be resumed.
- Subsequently, if you miss 2 appointments in a row, without previously negotiating with your counsellor, then your counselling contract will be reviewed and where your therapy may have to be discontinued. If you wish to continue therapy, then you will have to renegotiate a new contract and make every effort to attend therapy, thereafter. Payment agreement will also have to be reinstated (bi-weekly).
- If you are unable to contact your counsellor to advise of your inability to keep an appointment, we would appreciate that you kindly leave a message on the counselling service phone0784 762 0103 or via text or email: info@silversetcounselling.com.
ENDINGS:
- You and your counsellor can discuss about how you would like to end the therapy sessions, after you have satisfactorily worked through your issues.
COUNSELLING DOCUMENTS:
- You will receive the Terms of Counselling and Counselling Contract to sign, after you have stipulated the counselling terms and conditions between you and your counsellor. The agreement will include the content, context, duration, commitment of your therapy sessions and about how your counsellor plan to work with you.
CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT:
We observe confidentiality within Silverset Counselling Service. However, in order to provide effective service, your counsellor may discuss your therapy with a supervisor, or counselling colleague for the purpose of reviewing the work done with you. You will be identified by either a number or first name, without your personal details being shared during this process.
GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION (GDPR):
1. In accordance with the GDPR of 2018, our updated contract reflects the new policy. Therefore, we request your permission to hold your data in a safe and confidential place on our computer or file records once you have contracted with a counsellor at SCS, throughout your therapy. Your details will be held for 3 years and will be discarded thereafter.
2. We also request your permission to use your data appropriately, solely for communication purposes with yourself via phone, text, and email and/or a referral to a 2nd or 3rd party, such as another counsellor within SCS or a professional, such as your GP or a Health/Social worker. Should you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to speak with your counsellor.
3. If your contact details change for any reason, during the course of your therapy, please notify your counsellor asap and provide your new current details.