The below outlines the terms of Rhiannon Palmer’s counselling service. By attending counselling with Rhiannon Palmer, this means that the client agrees to the terms laid out below.

When referring to the ‘client’ this pertains to the person receiving the counselling service. When referring to the ‘counsellor’ this pertains to the person providing the counselling service and receiving payment for that service, in this case the counsellor is Rhiannon Palmer.

AGREEMENT

Both client and counsellor commit to undertake once weekly counselling sessions for 50 minutes on the same time and day each week at a price of £56 per session and agree to uphold the terms laid out in the following agreement.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Everything discussed between counsellor and client is confidential, however, in accordance with the BACP and BPC regulatory body’s code of ethics I, Rhiannon Palmer, do partake in supervision. This is where the counsellor meets with a more experienced therapist to discuss their work with clients to monitor and aide the counsellors’ practice. Supervisors are also bound by the same code of ethics so will also keep any information confidential.

I, Rhiannon Palmer, am registered with both the BPC and BACP and uphold their ethical standards. 

However, there are certain situations where the counsellor may have a duty under the Law to break confidentiality. It can be broken for the following reasons:

• When the counsellor deems there is a serious immediate risk of harm or death to the client or others.

• In the event of any disclosure of acts of terrorism.

• If there is a disclosure of abuse/neglect of a child or vulnerable adult.

• In the event of any disclosure of a serious crime for instance money laundering, drug trafficking, kidnapping or treason.

If a necessary reason to break confidentiality should arise, every attempt will be made to do so with the client’s full knowledge and consent and will be supported throughout the process.

PAYMENT

• Sessions are £56 per 50-minute session.

• Sessions are invoiced for at the end of each month payable via bank transfer and due within 5 working days. Details of which are stated on each invoice.

• Please note the counsellor has the right to review and increase the fee in April of every year but will discuss this with the client in advance.

• All missed sessions by the client must be paid for, even if notice is given.

• Payment will not be due for any sessions that the counsellor cancels.

HOLIDAYS

• I, Rhiannon Palmer, take approximately 4 holidays a year, roughly 9 weeks in total.

• At least 1 months’ notice of counsellor’s holidays will be given.

• There may be occasions when the counsellor needs to cancel at short notice, as much notice as possible will be given.

• Clients will not pay for any counsellor holidays or sessions cancelled by the counsellor.

COMMUNICATION

• Where possible all communication should take place during the counselling session.

• Should contact outside of sessions be necessary, it should be made via email in the first instance or phone if a quicker response is needed.

• The counsellor will respond to communications during working hours, ideally within 1-2 working days.

• The counsellor will not respond to communications during their holiday breaks.

• If client and counsellor should bump into each other outside of the session, in order for the client to maintain confidentiality, the counsellor will wait for the client to make first contact should they wish to. If contact is made, communication should be kept brief as all discussions should be kept within the counselling sessions where possible.

• Rhiannon Palmer Counselling is not an emergency service. Should a mental health related concern arise during the counsellors break, please consider reaching out to a trusted friend, family member or doctor. For emergencies, please call the NHS help line on 111 or reach out to a support network like the Samaritans on 116 123, their website, https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

ENDING COUNSELLING

• Client and counsellor are committed to working together on an ongoing, open ended basis. Should either party involved wish to end the counselling, as much notice as possible should be given, but both are free to end the counselling at any time.

• As a guide, the client should try to give 4 weeks’ notice to end and the counsellor should try to give at lease 3 months’ notice should they need to end the counselling.

• In the event that the counsellor becomes incapacitated and no longer able to work or communicate with the client, the client will be contacted by a ‘Trustee’, another counsellor or therapist and trusted colleague of the counsellor. The Trustee will inform the client of the situation and support them in any way they can. Clients contact information is held in a password protected Clinical Will, which will only be accessed by a Trustee should the counsellor become incapacitated.

GDPR

• In accordance with GDPR I the counsellor, Rhiannon Palmer, am registered with the ICO as I hold a digital record of my client’s personal details. These are basic facts e.g., name, contact details, address, basic health information and a record of attendance and payment.

• I, Rhiannon Palmer, do not keep records of any details disclosed during a counselling sessions.

• All information is kept password protected.

• The client has the right to access the information the counsellor holds on them at any time, however all information held on a client is deleted 5 years after the counselling ends.

• Whilst the counsellor makes every effort to keep the clients data protected, this cannot be totally guaranteed. Should a data breach occur the client will be informed immediately.

COMPLAINTS PROCEEDURE

• Rhiannon Palmer is registered with the BPC and BACP and therefore follows and upholds their ethical framework and standards. These can be found on their respective websites.

• If a client has a complaint about the counselling, please try to discuss this with Rhiannon first but should the client want to register an official complaint you can contact either of the registering bodies to do so.

• Rhiannon Palmer’s BPC registration no.48680

• Rhiannon Palmer’s BACP registration no.419314