OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU
Confidentiality is an essential aspect of the work carried out on behalf of this service. There is however 4 occasions when we may wish to take advice from other professionals. (1) If there is a danger of serious harm to either of you or (2) to another or (3) if you are reporting current or recent child abuse, (4) if you disclose that you or others are involved in any terrorist organisation or activity. We will usually discuss this with your first. The counsellor may also wish to discuss this with a senior member of staff. supervisor.
Good Practice: All counsellors are required by the BACP & COSCA code of Ethics and Practice, to attend monthly supervision where they discuss their casework. Counsellors always protect clients’ identities when discussing cases, but please feel free to ask more about this when you meet with your counsellor. The service you are receiving will be reviewed with you on a regular basis by your counsellor/therapist. Together you will be able to assess the length of time, within certain constraints that it is appropriate for counselling to continue. This will include reviewing working online or by phone. When working online or by phone please ensure to the best of your ability that you have a good, stable internet connection. It is your responsibility to decide whether you have a private environment from which to talk whether by phone or online. Please make this a priority when you are agreeing to sessions online or by phone. If we decide that working online or by phone is not a mode of practice that is suitable for you both, we shall agree to stop until such time as we can have ‘face to face’ counselling.
Record Keeping: We keep details that identify you (name, address, phone number) in a locked cabinet. The notes made at the initial introductory (assessment) appointment, brief on going records your counsellor writes, and a Closing Summary are kept in a separate locked cabinet, in line with BACP guidelines. Those records are identified only by your initials and your code number. Alloa Counselling has a system of open recording with its clients. (Data Protection Act (1998) you have the opportunity to see your records at regular review sessions with your counsellor.
No Secrets: The “client” is the “couple” and anything shared with the counsellor by one partner will not be deliberately withheld from the other partner. We may meet separately for sessions with either party with both parties agreeing that this is acceptable. If there is an on- going existing affair or existing domestic violence we cannot proceed with couple counselling until either or both are terminated.
Missed or Cancelled Appointments. We will endeavour to let you know as soon as possible if we are unable to keep an appointment made with you. When entering the counselling process with Alloa Counselling you are agreeing to commit to a working relationship with your counsellor by attending weekly sessions. We ask that you attend regularly and if you are planning a holiday or require to miss a session, you give us as much notice as possible so we can plan around that. By signing this contract, you agree to minimise time away from counselling, as this can compromise the counselling process. If you have several missed appointments, you may be asked to stop your sessions and restart your counselling when you both feel that you are more able to attend regularly.
If you are cancelling due to covid we request that you endeavour to work online with your counsellor at a time that suits all parties.
We require 2 working days’ notice from you for cancelled appointments otherwise payment will be due.
Working days are Monday-Friday, 9am to 5pm, not including Bank Holidays. PayPal charges cannot be refunded.
Agreement
Please sign below to let us know that you have had an opportunity to read and discuss this contract:
