Counselling Contract
Counselling Contract
The Counselling Process
The counsellors at LPG Counselling aim to provide a safe, non-judgmental, and confidential environment where you can explore any personal issues or difficulties. All our counsellors have completed the required training to practice counselling in the United Kingdom. All our counsellors are committed to using The Person-Centred Approach and as such integrate both their formal training and personal experiences into their practice. This approach respects the primacy and validity of your lived experience and, as such, our counsellors will always endeavour to understand what you are bringing to counselling from your perspective and to facilitate you through the therapeutic process.
In the instance that you wish for your counsellor to disclose information about your sessions to a third party we will ask for your written consent. Please refer to the Privacy Notice (https://www.lpg.scot/privacy-notice) for further information.
Please be aware that we are unable to disclose the identity of any of our clients to you. If you suspect that your counsellor may be seeing someone whom you know we ask that you discuss this with said person.
You will be treated with the utmost respect and we request that the respect within our professional relationship be mutual. We ask that you respect yourself, others and the property while attending counselling. If the misuse of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs is something you are struggling with, we would ask that you keep in mind that the consumption of these substances may impact the effectiveness of the counselling and we advise that you discuss this with your counsellor.
LPG Counselling only offers services to individuals aged 18 or older. If you are younger than 18 years of age please e-mail hello@lpg.scot.
LPG Counselling is based in Glasgow, Scotland, and as such is committed to transparency and to complying with its responsibilities in accordance with the laws of Scotland and any dispute or difference in relation to this agreement shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Scottish Courts.
Confidentiality
Everything that is discussed during your counselling sessions will be held in the strictest confidence. However, confidentiality cannot be promised if there is a risk of harm to another person(s). If you disclose information that indicates a serious risk to the health or life of another member of the public, your counsellor may be legally obligated to report this to the said person or the authorities in order to safeguard them from harm. In such a situation, your counsellor will aim to consult with you before or after a breach of confidentiality.
To ensure Good Practice standards all of our Counsellors are required to have regular professional Supervision which provides support and aids in their development as ethical practitioners: this may involve client material being shared with the Supervisor but they too are bound by confidentiality; care is taken to not disclose any information that could identify you as a client, and is ultimately to ensure that the counsellor is providing the best possible service.
Cost and Duration of Counselling
Please refer to the website for session pricing. Sessions typically last 50 minutes in length. For In Person, Online and Telephone Sessions, payment must be made 24 hours before each session. All First Sessions must be paid at the time of booking. The frequency of your sessions will be discussed and are dependent on the counsellor’s availability. It is possible to change the duration of the sessions and negotiate a reduced fee, but this is at the discretion of your counsellor.
Session pricing is subject to change and may differ depending on if the session provision is in-person, online or via telephone.
There is no maximum, or minimum number of sessions and you may end the counselling relationship whenever you wish, and your decision will be fully respected. Your counsellor will review your work regularly to ensure you are happy with the service being provided. Please inform your counsellor of your decision to end Counselling at your earliest convenience. Your counsellor may invite you to attend a final session to have a well-managed ending.
Cancellations and Lateness
If you are unable to attend a session, we require that you provide your counsellor with 48 hours’ notice for In-Person sessions and 24 hours notice for Online and Telephone sessions. You may cancel via email, text message or telephone call. Equally, your counsellors will aim to give you a minimum of 24 hours notice if they are unable to attend any agreed sessions for any reason. You will be charged the full session if you do not cancel within the stated period. Emergencies which cannot have been foreseen will be taken into consideration and fee waivers are at the discretion of your counsellor.
Counsellors at LPG Counselling hold the right to cancel your appointment at any point. If such a cancellation occurs you will be notified before the session, and if applicable, a refund will be provided.
Regarding lateness, your counsellor will wait for the full 50 minutes for you to arrive however you may still be charged for the full session and the session may not be extended as this may run into another client’s time.
In-Person Sessions
All the terms and conditions stated in this contract apply to in-person counselling sessions with the exception that not all counsellors may offer this type of counselling provision: if this service is offered by the counsellor it will appear on their booking page.
Online and Telephone Sessions
All the terms and conditions stated in this contract apply to online and telephone counselling. The exceptions are that online sessions may vary in duration to allow set up time and to fix any technical issues that occur. Not all counsellors may offer this type of counselling provision: if this service is offered by the counsellor it will appear on their booking page.
All online video sessions are conducted via Zoom.
Case Closure and Service Termination
If a period of four months has passed since the date of your previous session your counsellor will close your case.
In the case of three DNA (Did Not Attend) appointments your case will be closed, and service terminated: DNA signifies that you, the client, did not attend a session without giving prior notification to your counsellor.
Troubleshooting
When you book online, we require you to provide a telephone number. This is in the instance that during online counselling sessions we lose connection, for whatever reason, and the counselling is interrupted. In this instance, your counsellor will call you.
Alternatively, there is a chat function on Zoom which can be used instead of a telephone call.
If your counsellor is unable to contact you via telephone, or the chat function, they will send you an e-mail to reschedule your appointment.
Recording Sessions
We understand that you may wish to record some or all of your sessions (partially or in full). You must seek the permission of your counsellor and both parties will be required to have a copy of the recordings. Please refer to the Privacy Notice (https://www.lpg.scot/privacy-notice ) for further information.
Complaints
If you are dissatisfied with the service offered to you by your counsellor, or any of the counsellors at LPG Counselling, for any reason, then we trust that you will feel able to discuss your concerns with your counsellor in the first instance thereby enabling you both to find a resolution in a way that you find supportive. If this is not possible, we would ask that you contact LPG Counselling to find a satisfactory solution to your complaint.
If even after you have raised your issue with LPG Counselling and still feel that the handling of your complaint has not been dealt with satisfactorily, then you can raise a complaint to BACP via their complaint procedure.
You may be entitled to a full or partial refund depending on your circumstances: guidelines available on the website.
Refunds
When you purchase a session, you are paying for the provision of a counselling service by a trained counsellor. The counsellor works to provide you with their expertise, skills, and experience; to provide you with a safe environment free from judgement and commits to working cooperatively to explore your difficulties. The counsellor cannot guarantee the outcome of any course of counselling and you are encouraged to discuss your expectation with your counsellor at the earliest opportunity.
We hope that you are pleased with the service you have been provided with LPG Counselling. However, we do understand that an instance may arise where you feel you have not received reasonable service. The following circumstances outlined may entitle you to a full or partial refund.
Acceptable:
· If the counsellor is in breach of any part of your Counselling Contract (except if the counsellor had legal recourse)
· If you have been unable to make use of the service due to environmental factors (e.g., loud external noise outside; inability to access the premises)
· If the counsellor broke a promise (e.g., failed to follow through with or agreed to a course of action that was unrealistic or out with realistic timescales).
· If you deemed the behaviour of the counsellor to be inappropriate or unsafe.
· If you can provide evidence your confidentiality was breached.
Not Acceptable:
· If the outcome upon finishing the course of therapy did not meet your expectations
· If you failed to inform the counsellor of your absence or lateness
· If you are in breach of any part of your Counselling Contract.
If you feel you are entitled to a full or partial refund, please send an e-mail to LPG Counselling at your earliest convenience for us to act expediently.
If you wish to raise a complaint with LPG Counselling at the same time as requesting a refund, please refer to the “complaints” section.
International Clients
Outside of the United Kingdom, LPG counselling is not providing psychotherapy. The service being provided will be classified as counselling and/or life coaching. Any client living in another country that is not part of the United Kingdom, and is being provided services offered by LPG Counselling, agrees that the work being undertaken is in accordance with, and any disputes are subject to, Scottish law.
Please read this contract carefully.
If you do not feel clear or are concerned about any aspect of this contract, please ask your counsellor for clarification