Below is an example of the terms I will negotiate with you when you start working with me.  Please do contact me if you have any questions.

Michelle Buckberry – counselling agreement

Please read the information the below and let me know if you have any questions.  If you are happy with its terms, please add the information requested at the end of this document and return this form to me.  Thank you.  

• We will agree the frequency, time and day of our sessions at the beginning of our work together.  Our sessions will last for 50 minutes and will end 50 minutes after the scheduled start time.
• We will discuss and agree what you would like the focus of your sessions to be and how many sessions of counselling you would like to commit to. 
• If you decide that you want to end your counselling earlier than agreed, I would ask you to attend one final session for us to review our work together and discuss other support that may be available for you.
• I will explain to you how I work and the potential benefits and limitations of counselling, including if you are seeing another therapist or counsellor during our work together.
• The cost of each online session is currently £50.  Please pay for your session via bank transfer within 48 hours of your session. 
• Please note that if you do not pay for your session I may have to cancel our next session and end our work together.  I review my fees once a year and will give you at least 2 month’s notice of any increase.
• Please give at least 24 hours notice if you have to cancel your session for whatever reason.  If you do not give this notice you will be asked to pay for your session.
• I will give you as much notice as possible of any planned breaks or unexpected cancellations.  If for whatever reason I am unexpectedly unable to continue our work together, my supervisor will support you to find another therapist.
• I am an accredited member of the BACP and my membership number is 336913.  I abide by the BACP Ethical Framework which can be found at www.bacp.co.uk, along with their complaints procedure.  I hold a level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling.
• I comply with the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR and hold Professional Liability Insurance with Towergate Insurance.
• I will keep your personal details securely on an encrypted laptop.  Any notes I make about our sessions will be recorded separately on an encrypted laptop or in a locked safe.  This information will be destroyed 6 years after our work together ends.
• All our sessions will be kept confidential, however I may discuss my work with you with my supervisor.  If I am concerned for your safety or the safety of another I may have to break confidentiality and will endeavour to discuss this with you.  I will explain these and other rare circumstances where I may have to break confidentiality in our first session.
• If you make contact with me in between sessions I will endeavour to respond within 24 hours. 
• Please note that I do not communicate with my counselling clients via social media.
• Please ensure that you have a private space and secure technology that you are comfortable using for our sessions.  Please let me know if this is not possible and I will help you to explore possible solutions.