The Contract for Psychotherapy and Counselling with Derek Williams

The agreement for therapy is set out below a hard copy will be given to you if you request, if you have any questions please raise these either at the Assessment or the next meeting. The terms of the agreement appear rather “formal” – this is to ensure that any misunderstandings can be avoided and that both you and I are able to concentrate on the therapy process and not other factors. 


The start date for this agreement is the date that you (the Client) attend a session with me (the Therapist) either face to face, through telephone or via internet communication.
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Fees are as agreed from time to time and are payable at the beginning of each session in either cash or by cheque only, if you wish to pay by electronic bank transfer, funds must be transmitted and received by me the working day prior to the session. If you wish to effect payment in any other way then the terms of payment will have to be agreed between us by email and if terms are not agreed then payment will have to be made by cash, cheque or electronic bank transfer as detailed above.

Therapy sessions are held once a week and last a maximum of 50 minutes. Each session will end 50 minutes after the start time allotted and the full fee will be payable even if the session is not 50 minutes in length.

You must give a minimum of four working days prior notice by text or email to me if you are unable to attend a session and wish to cancel including any replacement session as described below. If you either do not give notice or give less than four working days notice then you will have to pay the full fee for any such session. If you are ill or there is a crisis then reasonable efforts will be made to re-arrange an additional replacement session prior to the next session due for which an additional fee will be payable. However, no guarantee is given that a replacement session will be arranged.
You may cancel a maximum of fifteen sessions for each twelve month period from the date that you commence regular sessions with me, fees will remain due in full for any sessions cancelled in excess of that number.
If you miss a session the fee for that session remains due in full in addition to the fee for any replacement session.

If I have to cancel a session you will be notified by either by telephone, text or email and no fees will be due from you for any session so cancelled. Attempts will be made to arrange a replacement session prior to the next session due but no guarantee in that regard can be given.

Therapy is fully confidential other than in exceptional circumstances as laid down in the BACP code of ethics. However, you should note that my work is supervised in accordance with the Rules of the BACP and UKCP, that supervision is also confidential. I will only otherwise breach confidentiality if either I believe that you intend, or are likely to, harm either yourself or another person, if I am required to do so by Court Order or under statute or you consent or instruct me to do so. If I form a belief that you are likely to harm either yourself or another then I will (if in the circumstances it is reasonable to do so) attempt to speak with you before I disclose information to others.

If you arrive for a session under the influence of non-prescribed drugs, alcohol or behave in an overly abusive or physically violent way I may cancel the session immediately, the full fee for that session will remain due from you.


If sessions are conducted through the internet using an internet based means of communication (such as skype) then the following conditions will apply and in the event of conflict between the conditions contained above and those below then the conditions below will have precedence.

You will be provided with a protocol of how internet sessions will be conducted before the first session and you will comply with that protocol and any subsequent protocol that is provided to you.

You will transfer fees for the Internet session direct to the bank account notified to you from time to time, for credit the working day prior session.

You will ensure that for the period of the session you are in a confidential and private space, agree that you will not record the session and that you will be appropriately dressed for the session.

You agree that sessions incorporate the terms and conditions (inclusive of those concerning privacy and confidentiality) of the provider of the service through which the sessions conducted over the Internet.

Sessions will last for a maximum period of 50 minutes from the agreed start time. In the event that a connection is lost the end time for the session will not be extended.

If at any time during the session you are or become under the influence of non-prescribed drugs, alcohol or behave in an abusive, physically violent or otherwise inappropriate way (inclusive of having any other person present or witnessing the session) I may without notice cancel the session immediately and terminate the Internet connection, the full fee for that session will remain due from you.