Therapist to Client Terms & Conditions

1.1 The following is a contract between me, as your therapist, and you, for therapeutic work. It provides you with an understanding of how I work so you are fully informed. Please take some time to read through this.

2.1 At the initial assessment session (and potentially further sessions if more time is needed) we will explore the issues that you sought therapy for. During this consultation period we will attempt to get a clear understanding of matters which are important to you in order for me to formulate your difficulties and find a focus for therapy.

2.2 The assessment sessions allow you the chance to see if we can create a shared understanding of your difficulties in a manner which feels purposeful to you - you are not obliged to complete the assessment or embark on further sessions after the initial session if you do not feel we are the best fit. As I have a duty of care, if I think that you would be better helped by seeing a therapist with a different specialty I may offer you the opportunity to be referred to another practitioner.

2.3 If you have any concerns about the process of therapy then I encourage you to discuss these with me.

2.4 If either of us do not feel that we would be the best match for ongoing therapy sessions, Harley Therapy Platform will offer to cover the cost of an initial session with a different therapist as part of their guarantee if you contact the admin team to let them know. Please note, if you have previously booked an initial session using the guarantee, it may not be offered a second time.

3.1 Once you have agreed to therapy, I will reserve a weekly time slot (of 50 minutes) for you. This is so that I can set aside the same time for you each week for us to be committed to engaging and discussing areas of your life which are of concern to you.

4.1 As your sessions will take place on the same day and time each week, these times will be “reserved” on an ongoing basis. If you cannot attend in person you have the option of taking your session online or by telephone. You can cancel any session provided you give 48 hours’ notice, however in cancelling a session, you may lose your ongoing slot. If you forfeit your space, but wish to resume therapy, you will need to see if spaces are available, noting that there is no guarantee that a slot will be available upon your return.

4.2 Any cancellation within 48 hours, changes to the appointment time or non-attendance will be charged at the full fee. This cancellation policy applies to holidays, work commitments, illness and other emergencies.

4.3 Please discuss with me in session any future holidays or absences or ending of therapy. Please advise me of any foreseeable difficulties in attending; if possible I may be able to accommodate your needs with an alternative slot.

4.4 Ad hoc sessions are only advisable to review your progress and wellbeing after a course of therapy. It is common practice that psychological therapy occurs at the very least weekly. My flexibility is limited as my diary is typically full with regular clients on a weekly basis. If you are unable to attend the same day and time every week or cannot attend weekly then please let me know from the outset.

5.1 I encourage you to discuss any concerns you have in your therapy session. Nonetheless, in the circumstances of cancelling or any difficulties to attending your appointment you are welcome to contact me. I will attempt to respond to any non-risk concerns or questions within 48 hours’ unless I am on planned leave.

5.2 Please do not contact Harley Therapy Platform to rearrange a session. If you do, they will just forward your query to me.

6.1 When making your first booking you will provide Harley Therapy Platform with details of the card you wish to use to pay for your session. By entering your credit card details you are authorising Harley Therapy Platform to take payment on my behalf for this session and any follow up sessions you ask me to book for you. Harley Therapy Platform does not store your card details but will request authority from your card provider to take charges from that card in future.
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6.2 Payment will be taken immediately for sessions you book on the Harley Therapy Platform website. Payment will be 48 hours in advance of the session start time when booked by me. You can ask for a refund provided you give 48 hours notice. 

6.3 Please do not offer me payment by cash, cheque, BACs or personal accounts, since I am contracted with Harley Therapy Platform to only accept e-payments through them for ease of administration.

6.4 Please update your credit card expiry date if it lapses - normally you will be notified of an impending expiry - or if a charge fails when Harley Therapy Platform tries to take it for a follow up session organised by me. 

6.5 Your session will be automatically cancelled if payment cannot be taken in advance of the session start time.

6.6 Payments taken for each session will include the Session Fee as shown in my Profile, and the Service Fee charged by Harley Therapy Platform. The fees will remain the same each week unless we discuss and agree on a different Session Fee (for a longer session than usual for example). The Service Fee will remain the same each week (£5.95 for Sessions under £100, or 6% of the Session Fee for Sessions above £100).

7.1 I will give you as much notice as possible of my holidays, and also of any ad hoc absences which I try to keep to a minimum. You will not be charged for my absences.

8.1 Please arrive at the exact appointment time. I regret that I cannot make up time if you are late.

9.1 In order to ensure that the therapeutic process can be maximised please do not arrive under the influence of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs. If I have reason to believe that this may be the case I will draw the session to a close/not commence a session.

9.2 I recognise that the process of Therapy may generate strong emotions which we will endeavour to work through together. In rare circumstances where I have a concern that such emotions have escalated to the point where they are not, in my opinion, containable in the room, I will draw the session to a close early.

9.3 Concerns regarding your safety/the safety of others including myself may require me to inform other agencies - please refer to section 11, Confidentiality.

9.4 I do not offer emergency support as I cannot guarantee my availability to you. If you are in danger in any way please contact emergency services (A&E), your GP or the Samaritans and discuss this with me in our next session.

10.1 Therapy is not a magic ‘cure’ and you will be expected to share responsibility for your progress. I encourage you to discuss how you are finding therapy. If you think therapy has lost meaning or focus, if you are not feeling any benefits, please discuss this with me. It can be beneficial to work through these challenges.

10.2 However, if either you or I think it is time to end the therapy then a discussion should take place which would include how best to end the therapeutic relationship. If you do decide to terminate your therapy sessions I will require as much notice as possible so we can work towards a healthy ending.

10.3 If for some reason I have to discontinue sessions and you choose to be referred to another Therapist within Harley Therapy then I will respect your decision. I will remain responsible for your full records until such time as they require secure disposal (in accordance with the requirements of my professional body and prevailing legislation).

11.1 All sessions are conditionally confidential. However, I am under legal obligation to:

11.2 These situations happen very rarely, and normally I will inform you of the fact that I have to act in this way.

11.3 By signing this agreement and/or continuing with the first therapy session you give permission for me to hold your assessment information and any other information provided in the course of our work together. I will, of course, maintain this in accordance with the principles of the Data Protection Act, 1998 (as amended), clinical governance audit standards, requirements of my professional body and any other relevant legislation.

11.4 By signing this agreement and/or continuing with the first therapy session you are also giving permission for Harley Therapy Platform to hold such information as is required to service our working arrangement, this includes but is not limited to data stored in paper form and/or electronically, processing your personal data including but not limited to contact details, bank details, accident forms; processing your sensitive data, including but not limited to, data in respect of your racial or ethnic origin and your physical and mental health; and to transfer your personal data and/or sensitive data outside the European Economic Area.

11.5 I am required to participate in supervision as part of my commitment to good practice and the duty of confidentiality extends to my supervisor/s. Any notes taken in supervision sessions are confidential and full names will not be used.

12.1 If you want me to write any reports or letters on your behalf, my time in preparing such reports will be charged at my hourly rate. Please let me know in advance if you are seeking a professional letter of any kind or are seeking therapy as part of a legal claim.

13.1 The contract is not with Harley Therapy Platform. Harley Therapy Platform does not accept any liability arising from the advice and treatment provided by me.

14.1 As an independent practitioner, I hold professional indemnity insurance.

15.1 It is natural at times to experience feelings of frustration or dissatisfaction about the process of therapy; these should be discussed with me as described earlier (please refer to section 10.0).

15.2 Should you have a complaint about my conduct which either we have been unable to resolve to your satisfaction or which you believe is so serious you wish to escalate it directly to my professional body, then you may contact them.

15.3 Complaints about the booking system, website or app should be directed to Harley Therapy Platform. They are not able to address issues to do with our relationship or my conduct and should you approach them they will advise you to either speak to me or to contact my professional body.

15.4 Please put complaints concerning technical matters to Harley Therapy in writing giving as much detail as possible. Complaints should be addressed to the Clinical Director, Harley Therapy Platform either by email: [email protected] or post 10 Harley Street, London, W1G 9PF. They will endeavour to resolve your concern and will normally respond within 10 working days.