CARE2COUNSEL CONTRACT

I usually work Monday to Friday from 6:00pm – 9:00pm. You may contact me on my mobile number 07971 386903 or by email at tinachummun@hotmail.com or tina@care2counsel.com

If I am unavailable, you are welcome to leave a message and I will call you back or respond to you as soon as I am available. Please note that contact outside of therapy sessions should be limited to booking, rescheduling or cancelling appointments. Any personal or therapeutic material must only be discussed during your scheduled therapy sessions, unless we’ve verbally agreed otherwise.

I am an accredited member of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). The UKCP is the UK's leading professional body for the education, training and accreditation of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. My UKCP membership ensures that I am practising and complying with a professional code of conduct, maintaining confidentiality and ensuring safety for your mental health and wellbeing whilst working with you.

Details of what is discussed during the therapy sessions are confidential. The exception to this is where I attend ongoing clinical supervision. Clinical supervision is in place to assist me to monitor all aspects of my psychotherapy work to ensure I am working in an ethical manner and so that I can be the best psychotherapist I can be for you. I will review and discuss my work with my clinical supervisor, and your name or any other identifying information will not be revealed.

I am committed to maintaining the highest level of confidentiality where possible. However, confidentiality does not cover the following exceptions:

1. Safeguarding and child protection: If I believe a child or vulnerable adult is at risk of harm.
2. Serious risk of harm: If I believe you are at serious risk of harming yourself or others, or if I believe you are at risk of harm from others, I reserve the right to contact your GP or the appropriate safeguarding authorities.
3. Wellbeing concerns: If I have serious concerns about your psychological or physical wellbeing, I may contact your GP if I believe it is in your best interest to do so.
4. Legal obligations: Disclosure of terrorist acts, drug  trafficking, money laundering or other activities where I am legally obliged to disclose information.
5. Court orders: If I am summoned by the Court of Law.

In such circumstances, my commitment is to always discuss the situation with you first wherever possible, and consult with you on the next steps forward. I am committed to empowering you to take effective steps to resolve any difficulty. However, where I believe that delaying action could place you or others at further risk, I may need to act without prior discussion.

All therapy sessions with Care2Counsel are conducted online via MS Teams, primarily. FaceTime and WhatsApp are also used if there are IT issues with MS Teams. Therapy sessions are delivered remotely and you can access therapy from anywhere with a stable internet connection.

• Private space: You are responsible for ensuring that you attend therapy sessions from a private, confidential space where you will not be interrupted or overheard.
• Appropriate environment: You should be appropriately dressed and in a      suitable setting for therapy.
• No recording: You must not record the therapy session in any format (audio or video) without my prior written consent.
• Connection: You are responsible for ensuring you have a reliable internet connection and functioning device.
• Timeliness: Please connect to the MS Teams meeting at our agreed time using the meeting weblink provided to you.

By attending online therapy sessions, you agree to MS Team's (or FaceTime/WhatsApp video or audio call) terms and conditions, including those relating to privacy and confidentiality.

Counselling sessions usually last 60 minutes unless otherwise agreed between us.

We have agreed to work online using MS Teams ((or FaceTime/WhatsApp video or audio call) on a weekly or fortnightly basis (whichever applies). Please connect with me on MS Teams as per the meeting invitation weblink at our agreed time (or where this is different as advised).

If for any reason you are late for a therapy session, I will wait for you for up to 15 minutes from the appointment start time. If you arrive during this time, I will see you for the duration of the remainder of your therapy session but may be unable to work beyond the allotted finish time as this will disrupt timings for other clients who may be waiting. If you have not joined the therapy session within 15 minutes of the start time, the appointment will be cancelled and the full therapy session fee will still be due.

There is no set time limit to the duration of counselling sessions. This will be negotiated between us based on your needs and progress. I would like to have at least two weeks' notice when you would be looking to end therapy so that we can work towards an appropriate ending together.

The agreed fee is £80 per therapy session (or as otherwise agreed at the start of our work together) and will be paid in full prior to the therapy session by bank transfer, unless a different payment arrangement is agreed at the beginning of counselling by both of us. Bank details can be provided to you upon request.

If your therapy is funded by your health insurance provider, the fee will be billed directly to your insurer at the rate agreed with them.

Important: If your insurance policy includes an excess, you are responsible for paying this amount directly to me. By commencing therapy, you agree to settle any excess payments within 7 calendar days of receiving an invoice. Please ensure you are aware of any excess applicable to your policy, as it may become due during the course of therapy.

In the event that your health insurance ceases, or your health insurer withdraws or declines to fund your therapy sessions at any point during our work together, you agree to assume responsibility for payment at the standard therapy session rate, which is £80, should you wish to continue working with me. You will be notified as soon as I become aware of any changes to your insurance coverage or funding arrangements.

Increases of therapy fees will occur where necessary, not more than once annually, and I will provide you with notice of this at least three months in advance.

If there is an outstanding therapy fee payment due, no further therapy sessions can be booked in or take place until the balance has been settled. This applies unless we've verbally agreed otherwise.

The cost of therapy sessions includes any written materials I may supply, but excludes the cost of any books that I might suggest you read.

Both the psychotherapist (Tina) and the client (you) will give notice as soon as possible when we are unable to attend a therapy session due to illness, emergency or booked holidays.

If for any reason you have to cancel a therapy session, you need to give me at least 72 hours' notice (3 working days), otherwise that therapy session will be charged at the full fee.

The cancellation policy ensures that I am compensated for the time and expertise I set aside for scheduled therapy sessions. To prevent such situations, I usually request payment at least 72 hours in advance which acts as confirmation of your therapy space.

While I fully understand life presents unfortunate and unexpected circumstances, we would have agreed upon a specific date and time for your therapy session to take place, which I would have reserved exclusively for you. Or otherwise this therapy slot would have been planned in for another client.

I’d be happy to confirm a new date and time once payment for the missed therapy session has been made, along with advance payment for the rescheduled session.

These measures are in place to ensure fairness and sustainability for the psychotherapy services I provide as a business owner in private practice.

In the event that I have to cancel your therapy session due to illness or an emergency, I will not expect any payment and I will endeavour to offer you an alternative time where possible. 

You have the right to end this contract or take a break from therapy at any time. Please note that the cancellation notice period (72 hours) still applies for your final session.

I also reserve the right to terminate our work together if I consider that continuing therapy is no longer in your best interest, or if there is a significant breach of contract (e.g. persistent non-payment, inappropriate behaviour, abusive or threatening conduct or breakdown of the therapeutic relationship).

In such cases, I will make reasonable efforts to provide you with information about alternative sources of support or therapists who may be better placed to meet your needs and I will offer you a final therapy session to bring our work to a close appropriately.

Our therapeutic relationship will remain a professional one at all times. The boundaries of our working relationship are important for effective therapy.

Contact outside of your therapy sessions is mainly related to the booking, rescheduling or cancellation of appointments via email or text/WhatsApp message, and this must be done within reason. Any personal or therapeutic material must, at all times, only be discussed during your scheduled therapeutic appointment, unless we’ve verbally agreed a way of working within the therapeutic boundaries otherwise.

Professional documentation such as psycho-education content or professional letters (from or to third parties), may be exchanged using email communication.

If we meet outside of the therapy sessions, I will wait for you to acknowledge me first. If you are comfortable with acknowledging me, then I will be happy to greet you. If this isn't the case, I will respect your need for privacy and confidentiality. If any contact outside of the therapy sessions causes you concern or distress, then I would ask you to bring this to your next immediate therapy session for us to explore and discuss.

As a digital marketing consultant by full time profession, I maintain professional business pages for Care2Counsel on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. You are welcome to follow Care2Counsel's social media accounts if you wish to access mental health content, resources and information that I share.

However, please be aware of the following important boundaries:

• I will not communicate with you or respond to any comments you make about our therapeutic work or our therapeutic relationship on social media platforms.
• I will not acknowledge our therapeutic relationship publicly on social media in any way.

This is to protect your confidentiality and privacy.

Please do not send me personal messages via social media regarding therapeutic matters, appointment bookings or personal content. All communication about your therapy sessions should take place via the contact methods outlined in this contract (phone or email).

Please also do not send me friend requests or connection requests on personal social media accounts. I choose not to connect with clients on personal social media under my strict professional codes of ethics and conduct, and refusal can cause offence where none is intended.

Abusive or threatening behaviour by either the psychotherapist (Tina) or client (yourself) is not acceptable. I reserve the right to withdraw services and/or terminate a therapy session immediately if either of us becomes abusive or threatening. In the event a therapy session is so terminated, the full fee will still be payable.

In order for you to be able to fully participate in the therapy session, please do not take any substance that alters your mental functioning, except prescribed medication, for at least twelve hours prior to your therapy session.

I recognise that at times the use of drugs and alcohol can be a coping mechanism. In such circumstances, I will aim to explore more effective and caring ways for you to cope. If you are taking mind-altering substances, please let me know and we can have a discussion about this during your therapy sessions.

I may end any therapy session early if I believe that you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs to the extent that you cannot meaningfully participate in therapy. In such cases, the full fee will still be payable.

Psychotherapy can be very demanding, frustrating, emotional, painful and difficult at times, and there can be a real reluctance to make a firm commitment to attending regularly. This is a normal part of the therapeutic process. 

Growth and change often involve discomfort before things can improve. If you experience difficulties during or between therapy sessions, I encourage you to bring these feelings and thoughts into your next therapy session so we can work through them together.

I do not offer emergency appointments outside of our agreed therapy hours. For any emergency mental health support, you may:

• Call Samaritans 116 123 (24/7).
• Call NHS 111 for urgent medical advice.
• Contact your GP surgery.
• Attend your nearest A&E department if you are in crisis.

By agreeing to these terms and conditions, you are also agreeing that I (Tina) may share your name and mobile number with a trusted colleague who is also a qualified and accredited psychotherapist. This arrangement is in place to safeguard you and your therapeutic relationship in the unfortunate event of my serious illness or death.

If you do not hear from me within 24 hours after your scheduled therapy session, and I have not contacted you to cancel or reschedule, my trusted colleague may contact you to:

• Advise you of the situation.
• Provide you with appropriate support and guidance.
• Help you access alternative therapeutic services if needed.
• Ensure you are not left without support during a vulnerable time.

This provision is to protect your mental health and wellbeing and ensure continuity of care in the uneventualities of life. My trusted colleague contact will only be used in genuine emergency circumstances and your confidentiality will be maintained at all times.

It is important to note that any discussion, conversation or words said by the psychotherapist (Tina) during a therapy session, which may then be relayed outside of the therapy session by the client (you), will mean that the psychotherapist (Tina) will not be held responsible for any misinterpretations. You are responsible for how you choose to infer, share or use information discussed in therapy sessions with others.

By receipt and agreeing to the terms stated on this page, I, the client, confirm that:

• I have read and understood this therapy contract.
• I agree to all the terms and conditions listed on this page.
• I consent to online therapy via MS Teams (primarily), with Tina, the psychotherapist.
• I understand the limits to confidentiality as explained above.
• I commit to working collaboratively in the therapeutic relationship.

Tina Chummun MSc MUKCP, PG Dip CIM, BSc (Hons) 

Director; Person Centred Trauma Specialist Psychotherapist,

Wellness Coach & Digital Marketing Consultant 

Care2Counsel Ltd

www.care2counsel.com

Email: tina@care2counsel.com | tinachummun@hotmail.com

Mobile: 07971 386903