Information about therapy at The Couch
All of our therapists are fully accredited and appropriately qualified psychological practitioners. Every effort is made to ensure the services from therapists working from The Couch are of the highest quality. Please note The Couch provides a space to self-employed practitioners only and is not the provider of services to the client. The service provider shall at all times be the practitioner and liability remains with individual therapists all of whom have insurance and accreditation to practice. We welcome feedback on the services you receive it helps to maintain the high standards expected of therapists.
The Therapy Agreement
Client Agreement
The therapy contract is between you and your therapist. Please read through this carefully as it provides information about the practical side of coming to therapy. Upon your signature (or by attending the sessions), the document will constitute a binding agreement between you and your practitioner.
Confidentiality, supervision and note keeping
Therapy often involves the disclosure of sensitive and personal information, so confidentiality is paramount. In order to protect your right to privacy the things you disclose to your therapist will remain confidential between you and them.
All practitioners are bound by their professional codes of conduct as defined by their accrediting organisation, which includes responsibility to manage your information confidentially and in line with GDPR.
There are situations in which your therapist can break confidentiality without your consent:
1) Where you the client give consent for confidentiality to be broken and information to be shared.
2) Where the therapist is compelled by a court of law.
3) Where the information is of such gravity that confidentiality cannot be maintained. This includes instances in which the therapist considers the client or others to be in imminent danger.
Your therapist will always attempt to speak to you before breaking confidentiality.
Supervision - therapists are required by their profession to have regular supervision sessions where they discuss aspects of their clinical work. They do not reveal individual identities during these sessions and supervision itself is confidential between therapist and supervisor.
Record keeping - therapists may find it useful to keep some notes on your sessions. These tend to be brief and help to keep track of topics themes covered in therapy. Notes are kept in a locked cabinet or in password protected documents on practitioner computers in accordance with the data protection act and GDPR.
Therapy sessions and cancellations
Therapy sessions typically run for 50 mins and take place on a weekly basis. It is not usually possible to offer sessions on a fortnightly basis.
A commitment to prioritise and attend sessions is required. This means protecting the time you have identified to commit to therapy, planning ahead and arriving to sessions on time. It will not be possible for your therapist to extend the length of your session if you arrive late.
Therapy can be an active process and it’s not just talking about your problems and feelings. Our therapists will work with you to help you build the sort of life you want to live which may involve learning skills to handle difficult thoughts and feelings more effectively, so they have less impact and influence over you. When we introduce these skills, practicing them between sessions is often beneficial. You don’t have to do that, of course; but it’s like learning to play a guitar or drive a car: the more practice you do, the better you get.
Therapy also involves clarifying your values: finding out what matters to you, what you want to stand for in life, what strengths and qualities you want to develop, how you want to treat yourself and others. It also involves taking action to solve your problems, and doing things that make life better.
At the beginning of an intervention it is helpful to schedule ahead times when you may not be able to attend. Your therapist will also make you aware of any dates when they will be unavailable. If for any reason you are unable to attend a scheduled session it is important that you make your therapist aware in good time.
Complaints
If you have a complaints about your practitioner please contact their professional body. You can find information about your therapist and accrediting organisation on our website.
Please also contact Dr Luke Sullivan should you wish to discuss any aspect of your care whist with our service.
Acknowledgment and Consent
By attending your sessions you are acknowledging that:
You understand and agree to abide by the policies detailed in the patient contract;
We have discussed and clarified any questions you may have about this document.
The therapy contract is between you and your therapist. Please read through this carefully as it provides information about the practical side of coming to therapy. Upon your signature (or by attending the sessions), the document will constitute a binding agreement between you and your practitioner.
Confidentiality, supervision and note keeping
Therapy often involves the disclosure of sensitive and personal information, so confidentiality is paramount. In order to protect your right to privacy the things you disclose to your therapist will remain confidential between you and them.
All practitioners are bound by their professional codes of conduct as defined by their accrediting organisation, which includes responsibility to manage your information confidentially and in line with GDPR.
There are situations in which your therapist can break confidentiality without your consent:
1) Where you the client give consent for confidentiality to be broken and information to be shared.
2) Where the therapist is compelled by a court of law.
3) Where the information is of such gravity that confidentiality cannot be maintained. This includes instances in which the therapist considers the client or others to be in imminent danger.
Your therapist will always attempt to speak to you before breaking confidentiality.
Supervision - therapists are required by their profession to have regular supervision sessions where they discuss aspects of their clinical work. They do not reveal individual identities during these sessions and supervision itself is confidential between therapist and supervisor.
Record keeping - therapists may find it useful to keep some notes on your sessions. These tend to be brief and help to keep track of topics themes covered in therapy. Notes are kept in a locked cabinet or in password protected documents on practitioner computers in accordance with the data protection act and GDPR.
Therapy sessions and cancellations
Therapy sessions typically run for 50 mins and take place on a weekly basis. It is not usually possible to offer sessions on a fortnightly basis.
A commitment to prioritise and attend sessions is required. This means protecting the time you have identified to commit to therapy, planning ahead and arriving to sessions on time. It will not be possible for your therapist to extend the length of your session if you arrive late.
Therapy can be an active process and it’s not just talking about your problems and feelings. Our therapists will work with you to help you build the sort of life you want to live which may involve learning skills to handle difficult thoughts and feelings more effectively, so they have less impact and influence over you. When we introduce these skills, practicing them between sessions is often beneficial. You don’t have to do that, of course; but it’s like learning to play a guitar or drive a car: the more practice you do, the better you get.
Therapy also involves clarifying your values: finding out what matters to you, what you want to stand for in life, what strengths and qualities you want to develop, how you want to treat yourself and others. It also involves taking action to solve your problems, and doing things that make life better.
At the beginning of an intervention it is helpful to schedule ahead times when you may not be able to attend. Your therapist will also make you aware of any dates when they will be unavailable. If for any reason you are unable to attend a scheduled session it is important that you make your therapist aware in good time.
Complaints
If you have a complaints about your practitioner please contact their professional body. You can find information about your therapist and accrediting organisation on our website.
Please also contact Dr Luke Sullivan should you wish to discuss any aspect of your care whist with our service.
Acknowledgment and Consent
By attending your sessions you are acknowledging that:
You understand and agree to abide by the policies detailed in the patient contract;
We have discussed and clarified any questions you may have about this document.
Fees and payments
Sessions cancelled less than 72 hours in advance and missed sessions will still be charged the full fee.
We ask that you to pay at least one session in advance to allow us to reserve your slot for the following week. Alternatively you may chose to pay for a block of sessions in advance. This would be negotiated with your individual clinician.
Sessions cancelled less than 72 hours in advance and missed sessions will still be charged the full fee.
We ask that you to pay at least one session in advance to allow us to reserve your slot for the following week. Alternatively you may chose to pay for a block of sessions in advance. This would be negotiated with your individual clinician.
