Confidentiality
Our sessions and correspondence are conducted in strict confidence in keeping with the principles set out in the BPS’s Code of Ethics and Conduct. Details of our work will not be disclosed to a third party without informed consent, except in the following circumstances:

• Supervision: I have a supervisor who I meet with regularly. The purpose of these sessions is to ensure that I am working appropriately, thoughtfully, ethically and reflexively. My supervisor is a Counselling Psychologist and this process is essential for my safe and effective practice. I do not disclose identifiable client information to my supervisor.
• Legal responsibilities: There are laws requiring me to disclose information to the police, notably where I hear of information relating to terrorism or drug trafficking (see Terrorism Act and Drug Trafficking Act). I would be required to disclose information from our sessions if I am given a court order by a judge.
• Risk of serious harm: Disclosure without consent, or against the client’s expressed wish, may be necessary in situations in which failure to disclose appropriate information would expose the client, someone else, to a risk of serious harm (including physical or sexual abuse) or death.

Disclosure to insurance companies
Where clients give consent for me to do so, I can accept payment from AXA health insurance (AXA Health provider number SA05572). Invoices sent to AXA necessarily include identifying client information, such as client name and dates of sessions held. AXA may also periodically request reports on client work, and/or a report may be required to secure further funded sessions. In these cases I write briefly, avoiding inclusion of unnecessary personal detail and focussing largely on the interventions that I have used rather than descriptive personal content. I offer clients the opportunity to preview these reports and encourage them to question and discuss the data that I include. Clients may withdraw their consent for the information to be shared at any time, though complete withdrawal of consent would likely impact session funding.

Session bookings
The session fee will be established before sessions are booked. Fees may vary depending on the funder and circumstances. I tend to offer clients a regular time slot, though am unable to promise the same slot throughout the course of our work and session times may sometimes vary. Any variation in time or day will be discussed with as much notice as possible. I usually do not work in the South Gloucestershire school holidays, except for:

• In summer holidays: I usually work on the third and fourth week of the summer holidays, meaning that I would not be working for the first and last two weeks of the holidays
• In half-term holidays: I work at a reduced capacity, usually on one day of the holiday. Some clients choose to miss this week. For those who would like to book onto my one working day, appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and I may not be able to honour their usual time slot.

Payment and cancellations
I require for payment to be made in advance or within 24 hours of the session. Cancellations must be made with a minimum of 48 hours notice or the session will be chargeable at the full rate as agreed at the beginning of therapy (see Fees unless agreed otherwise). For clients whose sessions are funded by AXA, non-attendance and/or cancellations made within 48 hours or the booking are chargeable at the full rate and must be paid by the individual rather than the insurance company (see Fees unless agreed otherwise). I will chase missed payments by email and am unable to continue with further sessions where past payments remain outstanding.

Notes and GDPR
I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and my data recording is in keeping with GDPR guidelines. I hold the following data:

• Notetaking: During sessions I jot down notes to help my memory, structure my thoughts, and give me ideas for where to take the session. These notes are stored in a locked filing box and are separate from any identifying information, such as your full name and address, which are stored digitally as detailed below. Paper notes will be confidentially destroyed five years from the completion of our work, unless you request otherwise.
• Client information: I store client details digitally. These details include your full name, identifying information (address or date of birth), contact email address, medical contact details and details of any medications. The computer that this file is stored on is password protected and no one else has access to it. Digital information will be deleted five years from the completion of our work, unless you request otherwise. This information is stored for safeguarding purposes, such as if I needed to escalate concerns of a risk of serious harm.
• Emails: I use email for arranging and booking appointments and for invoicing, and occasionally to clarify what we have discussed in sessions or confirm activities. I delete emails two years after the completion of our work, unless you request otherwise.
• Records of appointments: Records of booked appointments will be kept for seven years, largely for administrative and tax purposes. These records will use your initials or abbreviated first name and do not include any of the content of our sessions.

Working online
I use Zoom for my online sessions. This allows me greater geographical reach and means that clients do not need to take so much time from their days to attend sessions. It also means that I can keep costs at a lower level than I am able to if working face-to-face. However, working online sometimes presents challenges. Some of these are:

• Lag and freezing: I have a high-speed full fibre connection to (hopefully!) ensure that I am not the source of connection problems. It is vital that you have a reasonably reliable internet connection that can manage a Zoom call. However, even with a good connection, sometimes our sessions freeze or the connection is lost. In this case I stay online to allow you to rejoin the call. If we continue to have problems that make the session unmanageable, I may make the decision to end the session. In this case the session would be chargeable. I would not charge where technical issues came from a problem at my end.
• The need for a suitable private space: It is crucial that you feel able talk freely during sessions. This requires a comfortable, private and quiet space. It is rarely conducive to therapy to attend sessions in a public place or car, unless in exceptional circumstances. Please ensure that there are no other people present in the room when we meet.
• Self-care and safety during and after sessions: One of the benefits of face-to-face sessions is that you leave your usual environment to attend a different, separate and safe place. As online sessions do not allow for this, I am careful to acknowledge and work with the impact that your environment may have on the therapy, and vice versa. I recommend that you attend the session with comforts to hand, such as a cup of tea or a blanket, and that you take a few minutes to sit quietly before beginning the session. I also strongly suggest that you schedule time after the session to give an active break and transition between therapy and life, such as a walk around the block.

Updated September 2024

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