Talkthru Counselling Agreement Form

Counselling

Counselling is a confidential process to help you understand yourself and cope with personal or interpersonal issues. Counselling may bring up distressing emotions, and your counsellor is available to support you throughout. Sessions last 50–55 minutes.

Fees & Donations

We suggest a voluntary contribution per session to help maintain our service. Suggested amounts:

  • Under £10,000 annual income → £5

  • Under £15,000 → £10

  • Under £20,000 → £15

  • Under £25,000 → £20

  • Over £25,000 → £25

Donations can be made by cash, cheque, or PayPal at the end of each session.

Appointments

  • Please contact your counsellor or the office in advance if you need to cancel your appointment. Missed appointments without notice are not automatically rebooked.

  • Your counsellor will not engage with you via social media.

  • Video and telephone sessions may be rearranged in case of technical issues.

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

  • What you discuss with your counsellor is confidential. Your personal details, clinical notes, and special category health data are processed securely in accordance with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. We handle this data under the legal basis of providing Health or Social Care or Counselling Support, meaning your information is used strictly to deliver and manage your therapy. Brief factual notes are taken for each session and stored securely under an identifying code.

Clinical Supervision

  • To ensure you receive the highest standard of care, and in line with British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) requirements, our counsellors regularly discuss their clinical work with a qualified supervisor. During these sessions, your identity is heavily protected. Your full name or identifying personal details are never disclosed.

  • Client contact details are stored on the Talkthru mobile phone until the counselling relationship ends, after which they are deleted from the contact list. The mobile phone is a smartphone and password protected.

  • When we communicate by text or email, these records are kept for the same duration as your counselling notes.

Confidentiality

  • All counselling sessions, records, and personal information are confidential.

  • Exceptions occur only if there is clear and imminent risk of harm to yourself or others, or as required by law.

Sharing Information with Third Parties

Information from session notes may be made available to legitimate third parties only under the following conditions:

  • At your request (or your representative), if releasing the notes is not likely to cause you or another person significant harm.

  • Where legally required, for example by a court or official body.

  • Where there is an ethical duty, such as to prevent serious harm to yourself or others, including safeguarding children or vulnerable adults.

In any of these circumstances, where appropriate, you will be notified before information is shared.

When Confidentiality Must Be Broken (Safeguarding)

Confidentiality is a core part of therapy, but it is not absolute. Under UK law and our charity's safeguarding policy, your counsellor has a legal and ethical duty to break confidentiality and share information with external authorities (such as your GP, emergency services, or social services) if:

  • Risk of Harm: We believe there is a severe, imminent risk of serious harm to your life, or to the life and safety of another person.

  • Child or Vulnerable Adult Protection: A disclosure is made regarding the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a child or vulnerable adult.

  • Legal Mandates: We are legally compelled to do so by a court of law, or under specific UK legislation relating to terrorism, money laundering, or drug trafficking

How We Handle Safeguarding Disclosures

If a situation arises where we must break confidentiality to protect you or someone else:

  • We will always attempt to discuss this with you first and seek your cooperation, provided it is safe and clinically appropriate to do so.

  • We will only share the minimum amount of information necessary to ensure safety.

Data & GDPR

  • To comply with our professional insurance and clinical standards, your counselling records and session summaries will be held securely by our charity for 7 years after your final session. After this period, your records will be permanently and securely destroyed.

  • You have the right to access any information held about you. To do this, please submit a request in writing

  • You have the right to request corrections to any information you believe is inaccurate. Information requested will normally be provided within 30 days.

  • If we become aware that your personal information may have been accidentally or maliciously obtained by a third party, we will notify you as soon as is reasonably practicable.

  • If you are concerned about the way your information is being held, please discuss this with us. If you remain unhappy, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at casework@ico.org.uk or via their website ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.

  • We will never sell or share your personal details with third parties for marketing purposes. If you choose to receive updates from us, your information will only be used by Talkthru.