Online Working Contract

Contract revision number C1120-20

This information is for people seeking online therapy and seeks to inform and clarify what you will receive from my service.

Information – Paul Berry (MBACP)

I am a qualified and registered Humanistic Integrative Counsellor and Emotion Focused Psychotherapist working with couples and individuals online.

Additionally, my practice is informed by university studies in Psychology, Sociology, Fear & Sadness, Neurology, Online working, and key issues in mental health including Anxiety, Depression, Dementia, and behavioural issues. I continuously develop and update my therapy practice based on current research findings. Couples work is underpinned by attachment theory.

Therapy involves working with you in a secure, and confidential relationship. I seek to work with you in a nonjudgmental way which will help you organise your thoughts around your current difficulties. I may not have all the answers to your problems, but I will work towards assisting you in exploring any issues you choose to bring to a session.

I am also a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). This means that all work is carried out under ethical guidelines set down by the BACP. You, myself, and our work together are supported by the guidance provided by the BACP Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy. I am also registered on the BACP professional register.

All my work is supported by an experienced Senior Accredited therapist supervisor, my casework will be presented to my personal BACP supervisor on a regular basis. Your identity will remain confidential and your name will not appear on any case notes. Manual working notes may be kept for up to 5 years, then destroyed.

Description – Online Psychotherapy and Counselling

When experiencing emotional difficulties, sometimes we are unable to resolve them alone. Therapy provides a safe and confidential space for individuals to tentatively explore their feelings, in a trusting, empathetic, and understanding relationship.

Online therapy in recent years has appeared under several titles and is offered by myself using ZOOM, SIGNAL, and Hushmail. Options are voice and video or just sound. If you would prefer to just use text then I can provide a fully passworded and encrypted text email service using Hushmail.

You can choose the way in which you wish to interact using any of these communication options. Please be aware that all online platforms have a variety of issues around data and platforms are often updated in different ways which are difficult to keep up to date with. We can discuss this during the session if you wish and look at your requirements.

Please note its important that when you connect for a session, you are in a place where you will not be disturbed, overheard and you are in a place where you feel safe and will not be interrupted.

Reasons for online therapy

Circumstances may create a situation where online therapy is a good choice for you personally. I am willing to work with you on most issues you choose to bring to the online sessions. It may be helpful to have some goals in mind. The sessions are very much for you to choose what you would like to work on. Please be aware that therapy can be distressing at times.

Online Sessions

Sessions are for 60 minutes and are held as and when you require. The charge for the online session is £55 for individuals and £55 to £75 for couples. Unless another rate is agreed (students reduced). Email counselling charges vary in line with your requirements, the number of responses, weekly or daily, and are based on my hourly rate.

Payment is made in advance of the session. The first session for a new client will be an assessment session, we can then decide if we are happy to work with each other. The contract length will be agreed on online. This will be discussed in the first session and will be periodically reviewed as and when required.

I can be contacted out of hours at +447972814496 to cancel a session or arrange a new time. I require 24 hours notice of cancellation or change, otherwise, the missed session is chargeable. If two consecutive appointments are missed then the therapy options will be reviewed with you. If I need to contact you, I will only contact you by phone, email, or in writing if you have previously given me permission to do so.

If you are delayed logging in or have to miss the appointment I can be contacted at the above number using a text message. In the absence of any communication, I will remain online for the entire appointment time.

Payment

Payment for the session is taken 24 hours in advance of each session.

Contact

This has been agreed upon in the first session. Contact is only made for the purpose of arranging appointments. For confidentiality reasons, I can not speak to anybody contacting me on your behalf. I do not provide counselling via direct phone calls unless it is a previously agreed phone session. I reserve the ZOOM, SIGNAL, for session work only, not for arranging initial appointments.

Finishing therapy

Ideally, finishing will be structured so that you are aware that sessions are coming to an end and any other options or further assistance can be discussed. Endings are very important in the therapy process. You also have the right to withdraw from online counselling sessions at any point, however, it would be appreciated if you would inform me that you intend to do so.

Additionally, I reserve the right to terminate therapy if I feel conflicts of interest exist or in my professional opinion therapy is not beneficial or Safe.

Confidentiality

You will be responsible for confidentiality on your end of the connection. It is important for you to choose a place and time that is both safe, confidential, and interruption-free. You are responsible for any text, or recordings held on your communication devices. No data will be held on my end of the connection after the session finishes. I use a fully encrypted secure laptop. Email counselling I use Hushmail which are securely encrypted emails.

Your identity will be kept confidential on any of my casework or manual working notes. I allocate an identification code to notes, known only by myself.

Confidentiality is a big part of the client\therapist relationship, however, there are some issues that need highlighting if very serious circumstances arise during the online session.

There are areas covered by law where confidentiality may have to be breached, these are acts of terrorism (terrorism act), drug trafficking (not use), risk of serious self-harm, or serious harm to others, children at risk (child protection act) and serious organised criminal activity. If there is a need to contact your GP then this will be discussed sensitively in the session as to how this can be done.

Any requirements or need for a referral will be discussed with you first. Any issues relating directly to adoption would have to be referred to an appropriately qualified therapist. In the event of any of these issues arising during therapy, in the first instance, I will discuss this with you and/or carry out a risk assessment.

In the rare event that I can not discuss this with you and immediate action is required then confidentiality may have to be broken. At all times I will make every effort to consult you first.

Without Prejudice (WP)

All therapy is without prejudice.

Complaints

In such circumstances that you are unhappy with the therapy or service provided, you are encouraged in the first instance to talk your concerns through with me, your Therapist. If you feel problems remain unresolved, you may wish to take up your concerns with the BACP, I am subject to the BACP professional misconduct procedure and bound by their ethical rules.

Before agreeing, are there any questions you wish to ask?

To agree to this contract you need to reply by email stating that you have read this information/contract revision C1120-20 and agree to this contract.