What is the Cost of Counselling?The fee for new clients is £40 per session for individuals and £50 for couples. Fees for children and young people will vary depending upon their age. Reduced fees may be possible for those experiencing financial difficulties. Fees will be reviewed annually, with sufficient notice being to given to all clients of any potential increases.
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How often do we meet?It is recommended that sessions take place every week. In some cases it may be possible to meet more often depending on the client's need and the availability of the counsellor. The total number of sessions will vary and progress will be regularly reviewed, for example after every 6 sessions.
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What will we talk about?The choice of what is discussed during the sessions remains the decision of the client. However, counsellors will identify patterns and themes that emerge throughout the sessions and may suggest returning to incidents or topics they believe to be relevant.
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Is it Confidential? |
How Long does it Last? |
Is there a Formal Contract? |
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To encourage client's to freely explore
all aspects of their lives, it is important that a high degree of confidentiality is maintained by the counsellor. This is a key part of the Code of Ethics. In certain situations, it may be necessary to break confidentiality and this will be discussed at the first meeting. Counsellors keep a record of the sessions which are stored securely. Counsellors usually record only their impressions and do not include any details that could be used to identify the client. |
The length of each session will be agreed in advance with the counsellor. Due to the needs of other clients, sessions are required to start and finish at the agreed times. Where a client arrives late the session can go ahead but the finishing time will be the same. It is recommended that sessions are held weekly and take place at the same time and on the same day each week. The total time spent receiving therapy depends very much on the client's needs and is negotiated with the individual counsellor.
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It is important that both the client and the counsellor agree and understand what they can expect from each other. For this reason written guidance is provided that explains the nature of the relationship, notice periods for cancelling sessions and how structured breaks for holidays will be managed.
It is important to note that this Contract will be between the client and the independent counsellor and does not include any direct involvement of Dengie Counselling |
What if I have a Complaint?If there is any aspect of the work that you are dissatisfied with then it is important that you discuss this with the counsellor. If this is not possible, or you are not able to resolve the problem, then you will need to contact the counsellor's regulatory body. Each of these organisations operates a Complaints Policy and information about this will be provided in the initial Contract.
What if we meet outside?Counsellors are prohibited from providing formal therapy to their family or friends. However, as this is a locally based service the counsellors will be part of the local community and there is the possibility of meeting your counsellor outside of the therapy room. Some people talk to their friends or family about their therapy while others choose not to. This is the client's choice and would be discussed early on so that there is total clarity about how the counsellor will behave should this occur.
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How do I Pay?Payment is made directly to the counsellor for each session at the agreed rate. The method of payment is agreed with the counsellor at the first meeting. Payments can be made weekly in cash or by cheque. Alternatively payments may be paid monthly in advance by BACS.
Will I get on with the Counsellor?Before either person commits to the process, client and counsellor meet for a preliminary conversation about the sort of issues to be discussed during the meetings. There is no charge for this
and at this stage no commitment on either side. This is an opportunity for both to reflect on whether they think they will be able to work together in a way that is likely to bring any benefit to the client. |
Do Therapists have Therapy?The majority of counsellors will have had some personal therapy as a requirement of their training. Many will have had further periods of therapy as personal issues arose. All counsellors continue to explore further aspects of their work through Continuing Professional Development which will include exploring aspects of themselves and their work.
What Do I Do Next?If you are interested in starting therapeutic counselling the next step is to arrange for a preliminary meeting with a prospective counsellor. Initial contact can be by email or telephone, see the Contact page for details. When sending an email or leaving a message it is helpful to mention whether it is OK for the counsellor to leave messages on answerphones and any necessary precautions about emails to ensure that the application remains confidential.
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