Face To Face Psychotherapy

Sessions are normally once a week. There are however times when sessions can be more or less frequent. This is a clinical decision usually taken after an initial assessment.
Sessions are 50mins long and take place in the same place and time, weekly.

I practice out of The Bowlby Centre, N5 1RN. It is less than 5mins away from Highbury and Islington Station. Unless otherwise agreed, sessions are 50 minutes.

Commitment to the agreed weekly meeting times is crucial in order to maintain the regularity and continuity of your sessions. Where possible, I will try to offer an alternative time as it is important that we maintain continuity of attachment. This is not ideal and may not always be possible.
I charge for all canceled sessions except agreed holidays. Please leave a message on my mobile to cancel. My mobile number is 07813448350. I do not charge in the case of hospitalisation.

All initial sessions cost £80. Following this, sessions cost between £60 and £90. We will agree on a fee at the beginning of the therapy.
I invoice at the end of every month after we start. My banking details will be on my invoice so that you can make a bank transfer. I only accept cash if previously arranged.
I review my fees annually and no changes will be made without a prior discussion.

My holidays usually coincide with Christmas, the summer and some half-term breaks. I will always give as much notice as possible of my times away. There will also be space to talk about managing breaks in our sessions and talking about the emotional impact of breaks on you. Please give me enough notice of your intention to take a holiday so that we can think about the absence together. You can take up to three weeks holiday including Christmas time uncharged.

When we first meet I will request your contact details, including details of someone who can be contacted in an emergency. I will also take notes from our initial assessment session. These will include details of your attachment history and other things that may be significant in relation to you seeking psychotherapeutic support. I may also keep basic factual notes of our on-going sessions. If we have email or other written contact I will keep a paper copy of our communication.
I keep notes relating to your contact details, a contact person in case of emergency, your initial assessment and notes taken after our sessions over the course of the therapy. Your records will all be kept safely and securely for the amount of time we work together. I am required to keep notes for up to 6yrs after we terminate our working agreement, after which I will shred and destroy them. You may request to see your notes at any time. We would normally talk about what this means and then you will be able to have access to all or part of your notes as you wish.
I also ask all my clients to consider giving me permission to use some or all our work together in other areas of my work such as teaching and writing. In using client work in this regard, I strictly uphold the ethics and code of conduct of my training organisation – The Bowlby Centre, and registering body – UKCP. I continue to uphold and preserve confidentiality to ensure a total disguise of client information and material alteration and strongly anonymised.

Our work is confidential. This means it will not be shared unethically. In keeping with my professional guide-lines, I am required to be in regular supervision with a senior colleague. This arrangement is to protect our relationship and ensure that you are receiving optimal care. This senior colleague and I identify with the same code of ethics.
Couples’ work is fairly different. Because there are two of you, it is necessary to consider how you would want your confidentiality to be shared with your partner.
If you are in distress and we identify that you are at serious risk of harming yourself I may ask you to extend the confidentiality of our sessions to include someone else. For example you may need my support in contacting another professional involved in your care such as a doctor. In these circumstances any communication with a third party will only be with your consent and I will share anything I write with you.

As a psychotherapist, there are some legal circumstances in which I am required to breach client confidentiality. If this becomes necessary in our work together, I will do my best to discuss this with you first where possible and appropriate.

Where you disclose that:

• You feel you might harm yourself or others.• An identifiable minor may be or is being subject to harm with regards to issues of safeguarding.
• You are aware of or involved in issues relating to an act of terrorism.
• You are aware of or involved in activities covered by the drug trafficking act (1994)• Or if a request is made by the authorities in relation to legal proceedings.

Our initial assessment will determine whether our work will be long-term or time-limited. Our contract will reflect this at the beginning of therapy.

You might decide to end our work before our agreed time. It is important that we talk about this. Doing this might not be the easiest of things to do if you are upset or unhappy about a part or all of our work. However, it will be useful to talk about this in an open and honest way that means you do not leave with any painful feelings.
Having a meaningful, good enough ending to our work together is an integral part of the therapeutic process. It prepares you for the opening of the next chapter of your life.