Practitioner’s name: Jacqueline Hewitt
Name of private practice: Change and Loss Counselling
Website address: changeandlosscounselling.net

Please read the information below carefully as it forms an agreement as to how we will work together and outlines my professional obligations regarding confidentiality. At our first session I will set some time aside for us to discuss this agreement and answer any queries that you may have. I will ask you to sign the agreement to show that you understand its contents. 

Qualifications:  I am an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and as such abide by their Ethical Framework. Please see – www.bacp.co.uk/ethical-framework for more information. 

Anti-discriminatory practice 

I am committed to providing an anti-discriminatory and inclusive service.  I strive to ensure that this practice is present in all our work together.

The way that I work 

There are a variety of approaches to the way practitioners work with their clients. I have been primarily trained in a therapeutic approach called the Person-Centred approach although I have expanded my approach, via continuous professional development, to incorporate elements of other approaches. The Person-Centred method of therapy respects that every individual is unique, and the counsellor helps and supports their client to explore their circumstances and individual needs to find the best way forward for them. A person-centred counsellor will not make judgement or provide solutions but rather trusts and believes that their client is able to explore the options and resources available to them as their self-confidence grows within the therapeutic relationship. I might also offer additional therapeutic tools for you to consider, such as mindfulness or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques if these seem appropriate to your needs and interests.  Please see - https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/types-of-therapy for more information on different therapeutic approaches. 
•    Our sessions will normally be held on a weekly basis at the same time, for a 50 min session.
•    We would review your progress together after 6 weeks and then on a 4-weekly basis.
•    Emergency cancellations require 24 hours’ notice, and two consecutive cancellations may lead to forfeiture of the reserved slot for future sessions.
•    We will mutually agree whether sessions are held in-person or remotely and there will be flexibility to adapt and vary this as we progress, according to what best suits you.
•    It is important that sessions begin and end on time. When sessions are held in person, please do not arrive more than 5 minutes early as there is no waiting room available.
•    Remote sessions will be via a link to Microsoft Teams.
•    Payment should be made in full by BACS transfer within 24 hours of our session.

Duration and notice of termination 

I provide both short (4-6 weeks) and long-term therapy (12+ weeks) and we can discuss the anticipated duration of our work together during our initial session.  We will review your progress at 6 weeks, including the initial assessment session, and then every 4 weeks and I require 2 sessions’ notice if you wish to terminate your therapy with me.

Holidays 

I require 2 weeks’ notice of any holiday arrangements. I will also provide you with at least 2 weeks’ notice of my holidays. There will be no payment due during holidays although I cannot guarantee to hold your space for longer than 3 weeks.

Contact between sessions 

I normally work Tuesday and Wednesday between 10.00 – 19.00 and I can only see you by prior appointment. 

If you require my urgent professional services between sessions, I can be contacted during my normal working hours by email (hewittj123@hotmail.com) or text (07403276766). I will endeavour to reply to you as soon as possible, but I cannot guarantee my availability and there may be a delay before I reply. 

If you are unable to wait for me to reply or require emergency or urgent professional assistance outside my normal working hours, please contact NHS direct telephone 111, your GP, the emergency services or the Samaritans freephone 116123.

Fees 

I charge a fee of £65 per therapeutic hour (50 mins). The first (assessment) session is at a reduced rate of £55.
 

Reduced fee rate 

I charge a reduced fee of £55 per session to a limited number of clients each financial year, who are claiming benefit or are fulltime students. 

Please note that this must be agreed prior to our first session, and I require proof from you such as a student union card or letter, or email from the Department for Work and Pensions, for me to offer this service. 
 

I review my fees on an annual basis in April and will give you one calendar months’ notice of any proposed increase.
 

Bank details 

Please pay by BACS after the end of each session. Payment must have been received prior to the next session and ideally within 24 hours of attending.
 

My bank details are:

J D Hewitt. 
Sort code: 40-47-60
bank account number: 72858479

Cancellation policy 

I require a minimum 24 hours’ notice of a cancellation via a text or email to avoid an invoice being produced and a fee charged. If you arrive late unfortunately, I will not be able to extend the session, as this will affect my other appointments.  

Supervision 

All members of BACP are required to have regular supervision. My work continues to be supervised to ensure that it is safe, ethical and effective. Aspects of our work may be discussed during these sessions, but no full name will be used and identifiable details removed. My supervisor is a member of the BACP and as such they are bound by the same confidentiality rules as myself. 

In keeping with the requirements of BACP’s Ethical Framework I have appointed a trusted colleague to take over the administration of my practice in the event of my death or incapacity, and to deal with my appointments and destroy my notes in a confidential manner. This colleague is also a member of BACP and is bound by the same professional confidentiality rules as set out in their Ethical Framework.

Confidentiality 

As a member of BACP I am bound by their Ethical Framework to protect a client’s confidentiality. Therefore, everything that we discuss is confidential except in certain circumstances, which are listed below.  
 

Exceptions to confidentiality: 

Harm to self or others 

I reserve the right to break confidentiality if I think that you have become a danger to yourself or other people. I will attempt to discuss this with you and my supervisor first, but this may not always be possible. 
 

For legal and ethical reasons

I am not bound by confidentiality if in good faith I feel that I can assist in the prevention or detection of a serious crime, this includes safeguarding issues regarding children or vulnerable adults, crimes regarding substantial financial gains and losses, and acts of terrorism.

Record keeping confidentiality 

As a member of BACP I am required to keep accurate and appropriate notes of our work together. I record my session notes securely on a laptop that is only used by me, and this is password protected at both the level of the individual document and the laptop itself. 

Any paper documents are locked in a robust non-portable cabinet to which only I have access. I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (insert ICO number) and any information that I keep is subject to the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 18) and United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation UK-GDPR see Information Commissioner’s Office: https://ico.org.uk  and BACP’s Privacy notice.  https://www.bacp.co.uk/privacy-notice
 

Keep safe plan 
 

In certain cases where you may have declared a clear and definite intention to end your life, or if I have reason to believe this to be true, we may after a careful discussion mutually agree to put in place a ’keep safe plan’ where you will take certain measures, such as get in touch with your mental health crisis team, or talk to the Samaritans as a way of safeguarding and ensuring your safety.

Attending under the influence 

I am unable to deliver effective therapy to clients who try to attend sessions under the influence of non-prescribed medication or alcohol. In such a case I would discuss the issue with you, and we would agree a period of abstinence prior to the session from the non-prescribed medication or alcohol and add this period to the contract.