ASK ADINTRA
this section includes some frequently asked questions
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FAQs
I’m not sure if counselling is for me?
What types of issues do you work with?
What age groups do you work with?
What should I expect in the first session?
How many sessions will I need?
What if I want to end our counselling sessions?
How confidential is counselling?
What happens to my information?
What happens if I can’t keep my appointment?
What if I am not happy with how you are working with me?
Where will the sessions take place?
Do you offer telephone and video counselling?
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What is Counselling? Counselling can take many forms but is often best described as ‘talking therapy’ which takes place in a safe and confidential setting. Counselling can be on an individual basis or with a trained, couples or family therapist. There are many different types of counselling available, what is important is that the counselling you receive is appropriate to you and your needs and from a qualified counsellor.
https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/types-of-therapy/
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Professional Membership Bodies and Registers are a good place to look as the practitioners listed will be required to provide evidence of their qualifications and insurance. Always check for the counsellor’s credentials and professional memberships and ask the counsellor to describe their way of working to ensure this is suitable for you.
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I’m not sure if counselling is for me? Having an initial phone call to discuss your needs can help you to decide if Counselling is right for you. If you are unsure, we can arrange a short discussion with no obligation to continue there is no cost for this.
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What types of issues do you work with? There are some commonly identified areas that may cause someone to seek counselling and I can work with you to understand and reduce difficulties experienced due to: Anxiety, Addictions, Depression, Grief & Loss, Health Anxiety, Low Confidence or Self Esteem, Relationship difficulties, Stress, Trauma and for Personal Development Needs such as assertiveness. Follow this link
How much do you charge? Fees: Individual Counselling £40 per session, couples £55 per session, payable at the start of each session. I review my fees annually, I believe in fairness and equity in the availability and accessibility of therapy, and can agree concessionary rates for clients on low income and students.
When can I book a session? I am available for appointments on Mondays (online) Thursday for in-room sessions & alternate Fridays between the hours of 9am-6pm, last appointment on Fridays is 3pm, evenings appointments Tuesday & Wednesday, weekend appointments by agreement.
What age groups do you work with? I work with adults of any age from 18+
How long are the sessions and how frequent? Sessions last for around 50 minutes, and we will usually meet once a week, at a mutually convenient time and day each week. If your circumstances change and the session time is no longer suitable, I will do my best to accommodate this and offer you an alternative time.
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What should I expect in the first session? In our first session I will seek to understand as fully as possible you, and the problem you are bringing to counselling, this will include a comprehensive assessment, it is important that I can gain a sense of who you are and what concerns you at this point in your life. It may be that your difficulties are best served by a specialist agency, if this is the case we can discuss this in the initial session. It is equally important that you get an opportunity to assess whether you wish to work with me beyond this first session.
How many sessions will I need? This is something that we will negotiate between us. We might agree to work together for a few weeks and then review things. It is important for you to know that it is you, the client who has the deciding say on whether, or not to continue.
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What if I want to end our counselling sessions?: Sometimes you may feel that the counselling is not helping you. In these circumstances it is best if we can discuss the difficulties rather than abruptly ending the counselling. Many of us have experienced difficult and sudden losses and if this happens in counselling, these losses do not have the opportunity to be understood and resolved, but there will be no pressure on you to continue with counselling. You will normally know when you are ready to finish counselling and we can address this issue within a session.
How confidential is counselling? Confidentiality is a very important aspect of the counselling relationship. Everything that we discuss in the counselling session is kept in the strictest confidence. As a Member of the BACP, I am required to have regular supervision and I will need to discuss our work with my supervisor from time to time. However, I will not disclose your name or anything that would enable you to be identified. I am legally bound to make disclosure to the police authorities if a client reveals that they are intending to cause serious risk of harm to others. UK Law requires that I share any information relating to prevention of terrorism or serious crime, if you share information with be of this nature, I will be bound by law to inform the relevant authority without your prior notice.
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In addition, if at any point during the counselling, you were in need of emergency support, I may ask for your consent to contact your GP or recommend alternative avenues of support other than counselling.
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Clients should be aware that I maintain a Professional Will, this is an agreement with a suitably qualified professional, usually my Supervisor. It contains detailed instructions on how to manage my practice should I become unable to through injury, death or any other form of incapacitation. This person accepts responsibility for informing my clients should these circumstances prevail and offers you assurance that your information is being handled by a similarly qualified practitioner bound by the same ethical and legal requirements as myself.
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What happens to my information? I will keep brief notes after a session, in line with BACP and HCP council recommendations which will be securely stored either in a locked cabinet or in an encrypted high security authentication client management system. I will continue to store your information and dispose of this in accordance with the ICO and my Professional Ethical Framework. I keep only the minimum information required by law and in line with my ethical framework. I keep your session notes, assessment and contact details so that I can carry out our sessions confidently and professionally, these are destroyed after 6 years of us no longer working together. I do have some electronic details as we communicate by email and phone, however I delete these regularly so as not to have any electronic copies apart from your contact details.
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Should there ever be a breach of confidentiality or privacy, I will act accordingly by notifying the ICO (Information Commissions Office) and following their guidance. My registration number is: ZA450266, It is not permissible to publicise the content of our exchanges or share them with a third party. The Adintra privacy notice can be downloaded here
What happens if I can’t keep my appointment? Cancellation of appointments with less than 24 hours’ notice, or failure to show for an appointment may incur the full fee. Appointments cancelled or altered within one week will incur a nominal fee to cover room costs only. Appointments cancelled or altered with more than two weeks’ notice will not incur a fee.
I will be available for your session with the exception of; holidays and occasional times when I might attend training or conferences as required for CPD purposes. In the event I need to miss your session because of illness, I will give you as much notice as possible, and will try to offer you an alternative time.
Loss of contact: Should we lose contact either due to you not attending 1 or more sessions without notice, or in the case of online or telephone work that contact is not responded to within our agreed timeframe (for example 48hours) then I will try one of the other methods, text, email or call on (1 or 2 occasions) if not responded to I will understand that you no longer require counselling at this time and will not attempt further contact. You may of course resume contact with me should you wish to re-start your counselling.
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What if I am not happy with how you are working with me? In the first instance I would hope that we could discuss what you are not satisfied with and resolve the dissatisfaction, if this is not possible or your feel I have breached ethical boundaries you can address a complaint to my professional body the BACP who will consider your complaint under their Professional Conduct Procedure https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-us/protecting-the-public/ My BACP register number is 49794.
Where will the sessions take place? My primary method of work is in face to face sessions, however there maybe occasions where working remotely may be more suitable to a client’s needs or as a result of restrictions as in our current social distancing measures due to COVID-19. In these circumstances, sessions can be via phone or online via Zoom. Face to Face counselling sessions take place in my bespoke therapy room in Denbigh, you can view photos on my contact and counselling pages if you chose telephone or online sessions the details are outlined below:
Telephone & online counselling (please note telephone and online counselling will be limited to individuals resident within the UK – Wales, England, Scotland, NI, I may in some circumstances refer or make recommendation that you seek support from an online counsellor within your own geographical area within the UK if I consider this necessary in terms of safe and ethical practice)
Zoom is a safe secure internet platform on which we can see each other and talk in a face to face way. I suggest that you create a FREE Zoom account so that you can easily access our sessions at the given time. You can download this here www.zoom.us For each of our sessions, I will send you an email with a secure link to join me at the agreed time. You will always have this within 24 hours before our session is due to start.
Not all types of issues can be resolved through online counselling and I will advise you if face to face counselling, or some other form of support might be more suitable for you. Where I consider that online counselling would not be the most suitable means of support, I will make every effort to assist you in a referral to a suitable alternative source of support.
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If your question is not answered here, send me an email to
adintracounselling@gmail.com or adintracounselling@protonmail.com
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