Therapy Contract
A psychotherapy or counselling contract is an agreement between the therapist and client. It ensures that the therapeutic process will be performed in a safe and professional manner and highlights the responsibilities of the therapist and the client.
Please read the below contract and complete the 2 forms at the bottom of this page;
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the contract form
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the emergency form
The Contract
About me
I am an experienced psychotherapist and counsellor and I provide both short and long term work for individuals and couples. I have a Diploma and an MSc in Psychotherapy. I am trained in Transactional Analysis (TA), EMDR, shamanic energy medicine and integrate other approaches where necessary. I also work as the director and CEO of a mental health and wellbeing training organisation Strategic Wellbeing.
I am subject to the Codes of Practice for the Metanoia Institute (www.metanoia.co.uk) and to the Ethical Code for the European Association for Transactional Analysis (www.eatanews.org) as well as the UKCP Code of Professional Conduct (www.ukcp.org.uk) to which I am a member of this organisation.
I aim to provide a safe therapeutic environment in which we have the opportunity to explore and make meaning of your actions, experiences, feelings and thoughts. You may then have the opportunity to resolve identified issues and develop a healthier and more fulfilling future.
Confidentiality and Records
What we talk about in the sessions is confidential with the following qualifications:
I discuss my work with a supervisor. (This is an ethical requirement for all UKCP therapists.) Ordinarily, I will use only your first name or a pseudonym. With your prior informed consent, I may contact other health professionals.
I may need to break confidentiality if I believe that there is a serious risk of harm to you or others, or in compliance with legal requirements. I have a professional executor to cater for circumstances such as my incapacity.
Sessions and Fees
Unless agreed otherwise, I offer fifty minute weekly sessions for both time-focused counselling and longer-term psychotherapy. It may be possible to arrange sessions of different frequency or duration on an occasional or on-going basis, provided that we have clearly agreed this in advance. For couples, sessions are usually 60 minutes.
I can offer an initial telephone consultation in which we both have the opportunity to decide if and for how long we wish to work together. Our agreed fee thereafter is currently £70 per session pro rata for longer sessions (£100 for couples). Fees are payable by cash at each face-to-face session or bank transfer for online sessions, on the day of the session please, unless we have agreed otherwise.
This fee is reviewed annually on 1st January, and I will inform you at least four weeks in advance of any changes. I charge for missed / cancelled sessions where I have received less than 48 hours’ notice. I will attempt to arrange a different time in the same week if I am informed before the session in question.
I require at least two weeks’ notice of your intention to finish therapy, other than any date we may have agreed in advance, in order to offer both of us an opportunity to manage our ending appropriately, together with any issues of support or further referrals.
Contact between Sessions
Unless we have made an alternative agreement to the contrary, I am not available to discuss the content of our work between sessions: our contact outside of the therapy room is restricted to administrative matters regarding making, amending or cancelling appointments. I do not have the necessary resources to provide support beyond the framework of our contract, but will readily refer you to alternative agencies where such support may be available; please discuss this within our sessions should you consider it necessary.
Signed:
Mark Hashimi MSc MBACP UKCP CTA EMDR