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Junipers GroupProfessional Mental Health Care

Therapy Terms and Conditions

To be reviewed before your first session.

Download the terms and conditions (.docx)
  1. I am bound by the Codes of Ethics and Practice of the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP). A copy of the code of practice and ethics are available on request or may be viewed on the BABCP website.
  2. I agree to offer you sessions in accordance with pre-authorisation if coming through an insurance company or private health care plan. In the event that a private health care plan is being used to fund your treatment, therapy will not commence until approval has been received from the organisation and you are able to provide the relevant authorisation code.
  3. If self-funded, I am happy for you to trial a few sessions to see if working with me seems right for you.
  4. I usually offer to have a brief chat with you on the phone or over video prior to booking a session, to give you the opportunity to ask questions and to find out a little about how we might be able to work together and to make sure that what I can offer would suit your needs. I am also happy to text or email to answer any questions if preferable.
  5. When booking a first session you can choose to have this either face to face or online. I offer face to face sessions in Falmouth on Fridays or online on Monday or Tuesday evenings. The normal duration of each session is 50 minutes to one hour. If for any reason you are late for a session, I will see you for the duration of the remainder but will be unable to work beyond the allotted time as this will disrupt the clinic for other clients who may be waiting.
  6. If you have self-referred, the cost for each session is £75 for a face to face session and £70 for online video sessions and payment is appreciated before or as soon as possible after each session, on the same day. Cash or BACS bank transfer payment is acceptable. There are no credit/debit card facilities. Bank transfer details are 04-00-04, 43964207. If payment hasn’t been received for a session, a further session will not be undertaken until payment has been made in cash or by bank transfer. If payments are not being made in a timely way for multiple sessions, then I reserve the right to terminate therapy.
  7. In the first session, we will discuss what is going on for you that has led to having difficulties. We will discuss a plan for treatment and your goals of what you would like to get out of therapy.
  8. It is common to spend a couple of sessions ‘making sense’ of your difficulties and how they have become a problem for you, which helps us plan what to do to help you move forward and ensure we are working in an individualized way.
  9. As a guide, depending on the person’s difficulties, circumstances and ability to engage with therapy tasks between sessions, the average number of sessions could be around 10–20, with more sessions for problems that are severe and originated in childhood. Some people choose to have a monthly, or less frequent ‘check-in’ sessions when they have completed therapy, to help maintain wellbeing.
  10. Some people prefer to have fortnightly sessions and I am happy to be able to offer this to work around practicalities and finances.
  11. It is understood that sometimes sudden events, such as emergencies, happen, that may make it necessary for clients to cancel their appointment last minute or fail to attend and are unable to provide notification. However, generally, if you fail to give more than 24 hours notice of your intention to cancel or postpone an agreed therapy session or if there is a repeat pattern of cancellations/non-attendances, I reserve the right to charge in full for that session. Any non-attended therapy sessions funded by private health care will be included in the total we are allotted.
  12. I am happy for you to text me on 07823 489900 if you need to amend or cancel an appointment. Email is also acceptable. I tend to respond quickly to both.
  13. Our therapeutic relationship will remain a professional one at all times. I am not permitted to befriend anyone on social media.
  14. I do not provide a crisis, emergency service. If you feel unsafe, are having suicidal thoughts or wanting to harm yourself, I encourage you to share this with someone you trust or your GP or contact any of the emergency numbers, such as calling NHS ‘111’ and choosing the ‘mental health’ option which is there for support and advice. You can also text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 which is 24/7 or call the Samaritans on 116 123 any time or chat online at samaritans.org. In an emergency please call 999.
  15. Therapy can at times be demanding, frustrating, and emotional. You may at times find this process very difficult and feel the need to end therapy. I am very open to discussing your thoughts or concerns regarding any aspects of therapy. Your feedback on the process will be asked for at the end of each session and if you feel unhappy with any aspects of the treatment being offered, please do try and communicate this verbally. This gives us both the chance to address and resolve any issues. However, if you feel you would like to end therapy for whatever reason, you may of course terminate therapy without question or further cost at any time.
  16. In the event of you being unhappy with the service you receive, please discuss this with me. If you feel unable to do so or do not receive satisfactory resolution, then you have the right to complain to my professional body, the BABCP complaints and concerns page.
  17. I will not suddenly or without warning terminate our contract, except in exceptional circumstances, which would become clear in the course of our work together. This would be fully discussed at that time. Please note any threats or acts of violence will invalidate this agreement and therapy will cease immediately. Sessions will not take place if you arrive under the influence of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs.
  18. In the normal course of events, you will probably know when you are ready to end therapy, and we will agree together on the work we need to do to prepare for this, often involving relapse prevention work.
  19. You will be notified of any holidays to be taken by myself with as much notice as possible. However, there may also be occasions when sessions may be cancelled because of illness or because of attending training sessions or meetings. I will try to give you as much notice as possible of any cancellation and will offer an alternative time.
  20. As part of my code of practice I am required to carry out continuing professional development, and to engage in regular on-going clinical supervision. This is to ensure an ethical and professional service to clients. I may, if deemed necessary, discuss your case in supervision to support my own skill development, but would not use any personally identifying details.
  21. Confidentiality will be maintained within the code of ethics and legal requirements. Confidentiality does not apply where it would mean that I, as your therapist, might break the law or where withholding information means I would breach the codes of ethics. Confidentiality may be breached if I consider there is a risk you may harm yourself or others. In such exceptional circumstances, where there is concern for your wellbeing or that of others, it may be necessary to seek help outside the therapeutic relationship, such as liaising with your GP. In such an event, you would normally be consulted first.
  22. In the case of a disclosure concerning acts of terrorism, vulnerable adult or child protection issues or drug trafficking, confidentiality will be breached and such disclosures will be passed onto the relevant authority without delay. Due consideration should be exercised before disclosing anything of a previously unreported criminal nature, as I am obligated to contact relevant authorities.
  23. If you have been referred by an outside agency, for example a solicitor or insurance company and there is pending civil court case – for example if you have been injured as a result of a road accident, I draw your attention to the fact that under the Data Protection Act (2018) I may be obliged to supply copies of our therapy records to a requesting appropriate party providing you consent.
  24. The only notes that are kept from our sessions are the brief notes I take in sessions to help aid memory, as well as the formulations we draw out together in Microsoft Word, which I offer to you to have a copy of or take a photo of for your understanding and contribution to participating in therapy. No other notes are kept and I do not write any personally identifiable details on any notes. All paperwork is kept in accordance with the GDPR Data Protection Act (2018). I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office, registration number ZA617905. I am required, as per my Public and Professional Indemnity Insurance policy to keep notes for 7 years. They are disclosed to no one other than the clinical supervisor, if necessary, unless required under a court of law subpoena or requested by your insurance company, for which they always seek your consent. You have the right to inspect your records should you so wish, and this request will be fulfilled during a therapy session.
  25. Please also be aware that free talking therapy can be obtained from your local NHS Talking Therapies service and should you wish to access this in Cornwall, you can refer online here: Cornwall NHS Talking Therapies online referral.

Client agreement of Therapy Terms and Conditions

Please contact me, Maurita Murphy, prior to signing if you have any queries or questions.

In signing or providing my details below, I, the client, confirm I have read and accept the above Terms and Conditions.

  • Full name (typed full name or digital signature)
  • Date of birth
  • Address
  • Telephone contact
  • Are you happy to be contacted by text regarding appointments? Yes / No
  • Email address
  • GP name, surgery and telephone contact
  • Emergency contact name and telephone number
  • BUPA authorisation number (if relevant)
  • Today’s date

Please keep a copy for your records.