top of page

Help Center

FAQs

 

How long  is a therapy session  ?

Sessions are an hour long and include time for administration elements such as your next appointment, holiday issues, any practical issues or questions.

​

What is the difference between Counselling and  Psychotherapy ?

In the UK there is little difference between the two – the main distinction being the time and depth of the work. Psychotherapy is best suited to working with deeper seated issues which root in earlier life and require deeper , slower exploration, where as counselling is often shorter term and may be focused on a particular.

​

How many sessions will I need?

That depends on the type of issue we are working with and how we decide to works, I usually suggest working with a fixed number of sessions initially and reviewing to enable to decide what will be right for you. In my experience timing and motivation are key. It is important you feel this is the right time for me, I want to work on this , rather that feeling I really ought to do something about x or y.

​

What happens if I can’t make my appointment ?

I ask we both respect each others time and commitment. Life happens and for those occasions I operate a full refund policy . otherwise appointments cancelled with less that 24 hours notice are charged at the full rate.

​

​

How do you treat any data I provide ?

Collection
Only data relevant to the delivery of therapy collected via my Contact and Assessment Forms, which includes;

  • Personal information : Name, address & contact details & who to contact in an  emergency

  • Relevant service information : Your GP’s contact details, relevant medical history & medications

  • Case background  and family history & your expectations from therapy.
     

Storage

  • Your Client notes are paper based and kept in a locked file. They will be stored for 3 years from the date therapy ends to comply with insurance requirements and then shredded as confidential waste.

  • Communications between us over phone or email are stored in my email account using an anonymising code, and in my work phone contacts . Both my computer and phone are password protected.

  • Electronic enquiries are deleted 6 months following the initial contact date.
     

Disclosure

  • At the start of therapy we will have discussed the Client contract, which explicitly states the only exceptions to confidentiality.

 

Your Rights

​

Right To Access : You have the right to access your personal information, free of charge and the right to request  inaccuracies are amended.

Right to be forgotten: You have the right to request I erase information held about you. These rights are obligatory unless it is information I have a legal obligation to retain .

Data portability: You have the right to receive personal information you have provided and the right to transfer this information to another party.

​

Should you have any concerns with how I have collected , used or stored your data please contact the Information Commissioners Office ( ICO)  online or via phone on  0303 123 1113.

bottom of page