Counselling Agreement  
 

Online Therapeutic 

Counselling Agreement

Here you will find a copy of my counselling agreement, please do have a read through so you know exactly what to expect from our counselling sessions together and so you have all the information you need on how sessions take place. 

You can also read and find out my legal obligations as a counsellor offering therapeutic services. 

If there is anything you wish to discuss or anything that is not clear, please do get in touch.

Gemma Kirkpatrick MACCPH Accred. Dip.Couns, Dip. psyth. 

My name is Gemma. 

I offer a humanistic person-centred approach to therapy.

I am also an integrative counsellor who will offer a combination of approaches while working at relational depth which is important to me as a therapist and at the heart of what I do. 

This person-centred approach means I will work with you to help you explore the areas of your life which you feel are causing you concern and which you choose to speak about and bring to the sessions. 

I will not be able to offer you advice, or diagnose or treat you in any medical capacity. 

My role is to help and support you to explore and understand your own feelings, issues and situations. 

I will support you in making your own decisions and support you to gain a better understanding of yourself and I will do this in a non-judgemental and safe space. 

This is so you feel comfortable to explore your issues in your own time and at your own pace.

My sessions are for adult clients ( 18 +) and adolescent clients. ( 10-18)  

(A separate counselling agreement is issued for adolescent clients and their guardian/s.)

My sessions take place online via a secure messaging service, email service, voice call or video call. I use fully encrypted platforms Whatsapp for Business,Signal, Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

You will receive a link to join (if relevant) the secure platforms prior to our first session. 

I work as a private counsellor and therapist, I do not work in the public sector. 

I am a verified and accredited member of and adhere to the ACCPH. Registration number: 00001945 

You can find details of this organisation here: https://www.accph.org.uk/about

You can find my profile here: Gemma Kirkpatrick - Therapists and Coaches - Therapy and Coaching (accph.org.uk)

I also follow and adhere to the Ethical Framework for Good Practice provided by BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy)

https://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical_framework/new_ef.php

I am pleased to hold professional membership with:

ACBS (Association for Contextual Behavioural Science)

You can find their website here: 

ACBS | Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (contextualscience.org)

Spokz People (Supporting disabled people through Purple Therapy Framework )

DPPN (Disability Psychological Practitioners Network )

Insurance and Legal

I hold personal up-to-date liability insurance and indemnity with Westminster Insurance. 

This covers me to work in the UK and worldwide. Any claims that may be made against me are subject to UK law. 

I,of course, would be happy and encourage you to discuss any issues you might have regarding my counselling practice with me in the hope that we can resolve these together. 

Confidentiality

Any therapeutic exchanges we have remain confidential and no session content shall be disclosed for any other purpose. 

The only time confidentiality does not apply is if I am concerned about 

your own or someone else’s safety, or if you express intent to break the law in which case I may need to pass some information on to relevant parties only. 

I would however, strive where possible to discuss this with you first.

I am required to undertake supervision while I am counselling, this is a requirement for all counsellors and therapists.

This is to ensure ethical and safe practices are maintained at all times and to continuously develop myself as a counsellor to offer you, my client, the best service within my boundaries and limitations. 

I will therefore sometimes discuss aspects of our sessions with my supervisor to assist in my development and in our work together. This is to develop my practice and although this is a requirement for myself as a counsellor, please rest assured your identity shall always remain anonymous. 

All records of our work will be kept in line with client/therapist confidentiality, stored securely and kept no longer than 7 years after counselling has ceased. 

After this time, all records either electronically or paper will be safely destroyed. 

Limitations to confidentiality:  

There are cases within counselling when I must break confidentiality. 

These cases involve intent to or knowing of the law being broken in respects to terrorism, drug trafficking or money laundering.  

(continued overleaf)

Client Notes:

Client notes will only be released if the client themselves ask for them. A judge orders the release of client notes with a court order, or a coroner orders the release of client notes.

Private Space:

I will use and also recommend you use a quiet and private space in which to carry out your online counselling, whether that is via instant messaging, email, video call or telephone. 

This will give you the safe space which is important for you to be able to explore any difficult issues you may bring to sessions. 

Sessions

I offer a therapeutic professional relationship to my clients. 

Sessions are for the duration of 60 mins, one session per week at an mutually agreed time slot and date which is made and confirmed via email.

I do consider fortnightly sessions, however, these would generally start after an initial 3/4 week period of weekly sessions for the therapeutic relationship to develop. 

For your sessions you can choose whether you would like to email, instant message, video or voice call. Depending on what works better for you and what you feel comfortable with. 

Social Media

I am unable to accept friend requests on my personal or professional social media or reply to any message requests either on social media or any networking sites. 

I do allow following on my professional instagram for clients to see self help articles and posts from me relating to psychotherapy in a wider context. 

I am unable to answer direct messages or comments on my instagram platform.

Please contact me using the email address provided for all correspondence. 

This email is gemmaclaire@outlook.com  or alternatively you can contact me via Signal or WhatsApp. 

I also ask that you refrain from sharing any content of our counselling sessions on any public networking sites, these sessions are private and confidential and should remain so. 

Payment

My fee is currently £40.00 per hour session, unless otherwise stated.

Payable via bank transfer prior to our session using the details below. 

G C KIRKPATRICK  

Barclays

Sort Code: 20-27-26

Account Number: 13302091

Ref: TTP ( Talking Therapy Payment ) 

Session Cancellation Policy

If you need to cancel your arranged session with me, please do so at least 24 hours before your appointment time.

Cancellations of less than 24 hours notice will be charged at the full session rate. 

If you miss sessions without notice or with less than 24 hours notice, you will be charged at the full session rate.

If you miss sessions without notice this may terminate our agreement and sessions will stop. 

Session Rebooking Option 

I do offer a session rebooking option. I keep limited spaces available in my schedule to be able to offer the option for a client to rebook their missed session within 24 hours, without incurring a fee. I have found this option to be valuable to the therapeutic relationship.

Session Cancellation Exceptions 

I strive to be as flexible as possible when it comes to missing a booked session. This means I am willing to show discretion when it is clear that missing your appointment could not be helped. 

In such instances we can of course arrange an alternative time for your appointment as soon as possible and carry on with our session schedule. 

Unforeseen Circumstances

If for any reason I cannot attend our session within the agreed time frame such as if I have technical difficulties or I am ill, I will send a brief text message to let you know as soon as possible.

Sometimes this is unavoidable and can be at short notice. 

In these circumstances, you will not be charged of course for your booked session and we can thereby make an alternative arrangement.

Similarly, if you experience any technical difficulties or unexpected illness please get in touch as soon as possible to let me know. 

My phone number is 07494746683

Please only use a text messaging service/WhatsApp to this number. 

Referral

During our work together it is normal to periodically evaluate how the counselling sessions are going and if the sessions and my therapy and the model is the most suitable form of support for you at this time.

If you feel that our online counselling relationship is not working, if you require a counsellor with specific expertise, or if online work is not suitable for you then I am happy to of course explore some alternative options with you.

If I feel at any time that I am not able to provide you with the level of support you require (such as if I feel your mental health issues are outside my area of expertise) 

As part of the framework and standards, I must put my client’s well being first and therefore I have the right to discontinue our work together. This would be done with your own best interests at heart and carried out as sensitive as possible. I would also help you to find alternative support where possible.

Complaints

If you have any complaints about my work, I would ask that you please let me know as I would hope that we can work successfully through these issues and resolve these together. You also have the right to contact the ACCPH if you feel you need to take this further. 

Emergency

It is important for all clients to understand that I am not an emergency service or crisis line. If you are feeling particularly stressed please contact your local hospital, your registered GP, mental health service or emergency contact. 

If you feel at risk to yourself or others at any time I highly recommend you get in touch with your doctor or emergency services where you can be supported by the right people and get the help you need. 

Client Promise

I understand that I must confirm agreement with the terms set here and I will be sent a copy electronically by Gemma Kirkpatrick via email to sign before sessions start.