Terms & Conditions

Professional counselling terms and cancellation policy

The Ash Counselling: Terms and Conditions

Welcome to The Ash Counselling. This document outlines our agreement for the professional counselling services we provide. By engaging with our services, you agree to these terms and conditions.

1. The therapeutic relationship

  • Purpose: Our goal is to provide a safe, confidential, and professional environment for you to explore personal issues and pursue your therapeutic goals.
  • Our role: As a counselling organization, The Ash Counselling provides qualified and experienced therapists who will support you. The therapeutic relationship is strictly professional, and The Ash Counselling staff will not engage in social, business, or personal relationships with clients.
  • Your role: You acknowledge that counselling is a collaborative process and that your active participation is essential for its success. This includes attending sessions regularly and engaging honestly and openly.

2. Confidentiality and its limits

  • Confidentiality: All information you share with your counsellor is confidential within The Ash Counselling service. This includes any notes taken during your sessions, which are securely stored.
  • Supervision: Your counsellor discusses their work with a professional supervisor, as required by ethical standards. Your identity remains confidential in this process. This ensures the highest quality of care.
  • Limits to confidentiality: In some exceptional circumstances, your counsellor may be required by law or ethical guidelines to break confidentiality. These situations include, but are not limited to:
    • Where there is a risk of serious harm to yourself or others.
    • Where there is suspicion or knowledge of terrorism or drug-trafficking offences.
    • Where a court order is issued requiring the disclosure of client notes.
  • Disclosure procedure: In such cases, your counsellor will make every effort to discuss this with you beforehand, unless there is a defensible reason not to do so.

3. Sessions and fees

  • Session duration and frequency: Sessions typically last 50 minutes and occur on a regular basis, usually weekly.
  • Fees and payment: The fee for each session will be agreed upon during your intake and confirmed in your booking. You will be invoiced or charged on a weekly basis.
  • Cancellation policy: By booking a session, you agree to our cancellation policy, which will be provided separately and is an integral part of these terms.
  • Changes to fees: We will provide you with reasonable notice of any changes to our fee structure.

4. Online and remote counselling

  • Technology and security: Clients are responsible for ensuring they have a stable and secure internet connection for online sessions. We recommend using a private, encrypted network and a headset for privacy.
  • Privacy: It is your responsibility to ensure you are in a private and confidential space where you cannot be overheard or interrupted during online sessions.
  • Emergency procedures for remote sessions: You will be asked to provide your location during online sessions so that we can take appropriate steps in case of an emergency.
  • Online boundaries: Your counsellor will not engage with you on social media or other personal online platforms to maintain professional boundaries.

5. Record keeping and data protection

  • Record keeping: We keep brief, factual records of your sessions to ensure continuity of care and to meet our professional and legal obligations. These records are stored securely, in compliance with GDPR regulations.
  • Data access: You have the right to request access to your personal data. We have a procedure for handling such requests, and you may be required to pay an administrative fee.
  • Record retention: We will retain your records for a specific period after your last session, as advised by legal and professional guidelines. After this period, records will be securely destroyed.
  • Use of data: We may use anonymized client data for internal training, supervision, or research. Your specific information will not be identifiable in these cases.

6. Ending counselling

  • Termination: You have the right to end counselling at any time. We recommend a planned ending to allow for proper closure. Your counsellor can discuss this process with you.
  • Circumstances for termination by The Ash Counselling: In rare cases, we may need to terminate the counselling relationship if:
    • We believe the therapy is no longer beneficial.
    • You consistently fail to engage in the process or adhere to these terms.
    • You exhibit abusive or threatening behaviour.

7. Complaints and grievances

  • How to complain: If you have any concerns about our service or a counsellor, we encourage you to discuss them with your counsellor in the first instance. If that is not possible or does not resolve the issue, you can make a formal complaint by contacting safeguarding team via complaints@theashcounselling.co.uk
  • Professional standards: The Ash Counselling and all our counsellors adhere to the ethical framework of BACP, UKCP and other professionals bodies of the students.

8. Contact outside sessions

  • Emergency situations: The Ash Counselling is not an emergency service. If you are experiencing a crisis or feeling at risk of harm, please contact your GP, your local emergency services, or a helpline such as the Samaritans.
  • Contact between sessions: Please use our official contact channels for any administrative matters. Counsellors may not be available to respond to messages between sessions.

9. Your acknowledgment

By proceeding with our services, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to the terms and conditions outlined above.

Cancellation and no-show policy

This policy is designed to ensure a consistent and supportive therapeutic experience while respecting the professional and personal commitments of both the client and the counsellor. Your scheduled appointment time is reserved exclusively for you.

Notice of cancellation

  • If you need to cancel or reschedule your session, please provide a minimum of 48 hours' notice.
  • This allows the opportunity to offer the time slot to other clients seeking support.

Late cancellations

  • A "late cancellation" is a session cancelled with less than 48 hours' notice.
  • Late cancellations will incur a fee of 50% of the session fee. This fee compensates for the time that was set aside for your appointment.

No-shows

  • A "no-show" is a missed appointment where the client does not provide any advance notice.
  • In the case of a no-show, the full session fee will be charged.

Rescheduling

  • If you need to reschedule, please contact us as far in advance as possible to find a new time.
  • You can contact us by calling our main office number or emailing info@theashcounselling.co.uk.

Payment for missed sessions

  • For sessions cancelled late or missed entirely, the applicable fee will be charged to the card on file or an invoice will be sent.
  • This fee is due before your next scheduled appointment.

Exceptions to the policy

  • We understand that unforeseen circumstances, such as a serious emergency or sudden illness, can occur. In these cases, fees may be waived.
  • We handle such situations on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us as soon as you are able to discuss any exceptional circumstances.
  • As a gesture of goodwill, The Ash Counselling offers one waived late cancellation or no-show fee per client per calendar year.

Cancellations by the counsellor

  • On the rare occasion that a counsellor at The Ash Counselling needs to cancel or reschedule a session, we will provide you with as much notice as possible.
  • You will not be charged for this session, and we will work with you to re-book at the earliest possible time.

Your acknowledgment

By booking a counselling session with The Ash Counselling, you acknowledge and agree to the terms of this cancellation policy. A copy of this policy will be provided in your intake paperwork for you to review and sign.

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