My belief is that everyone is an expert on themselves, and Psychotherapy allows a person to explore their own experiences in a space where they feel safe and accepted for who they are and how they are feeling. 

The framework of these sessions is important, as predictability and trust in aspects such as timing, costs and regularity, allows the space to be solid and safe for holding parts of you that might feel in need of sturdy foundations before being shared.  I welcome you to bring any response or questions about this agreement into sessions as and when they might come up.  

Sessions 

Sessions will usually take place on a weekly basis, for 50 minutes at the same time and location, unless otherwise arranged. Psychotherapy is often an open-ended process that means the length of the therapy is unique to each person and can be discussed and reviewed.  

Confidentiality 

All information shared within sessions is treated with the utmost of confidentiality. As is best practice within psychotherapy, I have ongoing professional supervision within which any identifying information will be anonymized.  

If I believe you may be at risk of harming yourself or another, I do have an ethical responsibility to signpost this to the relevant places, however if possible, this will be discussed with you first and information given will be limited to what is necessary. I am bound by the ethical guidelines and code of practice provided by UKCP and BCPC and both organisations have these available on their websites – www.UCKP.org.uk www.BCPC.org.uk  

Fee 

These sessions are provided for a fee of £65 per 50 minutes. Fees may be reviewed annually, and you will be advised with at least one month’s notice if they are to change. Payment can be made in cash or via bank transfer to the below account: 

Account Name: Nicole Paterson Psychotherapy 

Sort Code: 04-03-33 Account: 42501449 

Missed Sessions 

Sessions that are missed or cancelled by the client are payable in full if less than two weeks notice is given, unless an alternative such as a remote session or an alternate time is possible. If more than two weeks notice is given, there is no charge. As psychotherapy is a process that is supported by regular sessions, this is a topic that I invite into the conversation if absences are frequent.  

Breaks 

I usually take 8 weeks off throughout the year (including Christmas) and will endeavor to give you at least 4 weeks’ notice of a break. These weeks will not be charged.  

Communication 

If you need to contact me to rearrange or cancel a session, or for organisational purposes, I can be contacted via telephone or email. Outside of this, I feel it's important that the process is held within the session time, where it can be explored in the immediacy of each other's presence. 

Ending 

If you decide you no longer wish to continue, then I would encourage you to come for at least one final ending session. Otherwise, when the time feels appropriate, we will discuss and work towards an ending together. 

GDPR - Protecting your Information 

As an ethical professional, and registered Psychotherapist in Training, your privacy is very important to me. In addition to my professional responsibilities to you around confidentiality, (whereby disclosures will only be made when I am legally required to, or to protect someone’s safety), I am also required by law to inform you about how I manage your privacy, and to ask for your written consent. 
 

In case of emergency 

I am ethically required to ensure I have made provision for you to be informed in the event that I am ever incapacitated and unable to contact you. To help in these circumstances, I have arranged for a qualified and accredited peer who is also bound by confidentiality and ethical guidelines, to be given emergency access to your contact details, so that they can let you know. 

Handling your information 

To ensure my work is of a high standard, I regularly attend clinical supervision and discuss my work. In this situation clients are identified by first name only.

Other than in the circumstances noted above, I never share your personal information with any other people, unless you explicitly request that I do.  

The only information I keep electronically is your name/initials, phone number and any electronic communication such as emails and text messages. I also keep brief notes of the content of our sessions, which I store electronically. All the electronic devices I use are protected by password and document storage is protected with two-factor authentication and encrypted, where possible. I hold your details for seven years after we finish working. This is part of complying with my professional insurance, and also helps if you ever choose to restart sessions.