Welcome to FCS Talking Therapies.

This treatment is designed to help you understand how we can work together successfully.

1. Getting the best from your therapy

Your therapy will involve regular sessions with your appropriately qualified therapist.  Your first session will be to understand what your current needs are and how we can work best together. During your sessions, we want you to get the very best from your time with us so it is important for you to consider what you would like to gain from your sessions each week. To support your therapy, your therapist will work with you at every level to assist you in achieving this aim. Your therapy sessions will be reviewed throughout the process to ensure that you are getting the best from the sessions.

Communication between both you and your therapist is vital throughout your therapy. You should endeavor to keep your therapist up to date with any changes in details or situations. Should your therapist need to contact you, they will use the contact details you have provided and only leave messages with your permission.  

Please do not attend sessions if you are under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances. We have the right to terminate the session if you arrive to any session under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances.  We ask that you abstain from alcohol and illegal substances for 48 hours before your therapy session takes place.  If you are unable to maintain this agreement, please contact your therapist who will assist you with a referral to a more suitable service.  

If you require any further clarification about this treatment agreement prior to committing to attending therapy, please raise this with your therapist at your first session, who will be happy to discuss this with you.

2. Commitment and attendance

Regular attendance is essential to achieving your therapy goals. We expect you to attend all sessions which have been mutually agreed unless you have given 48 hours’ notice to cancel your session.

Punctuality is important as we are unable to extend your session beyond your scheduled therapy slot.

3. Confidentiality

Your therapy sessions will be handled confidentially and in accordance with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy: BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions

Any information shared by you is kept confidential and secure on our client management system. Any records which are kept about your therapy will be handled, stored, and processed securely in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018).

If you are at risk of serious harm to either yourself or someone else and your therapist believes that you are not safe, then they may contact your GP or other professionals.  This may be done without your consent.

Therapist supervision: Supervision is a mandatory resource for our therapists and counsellors and promotes both personal and professional development to ensure clients receive the best possible care.  Individual identities are anonymised during these sessions and supervision itself is confidential between the therapist and supervisor.

GP or health professional contact:  There are occasions where it may be helpful or necessary for your therapist to contact or consult your GP or health professional. This would typically be discussed with you first, and your therapist would ask for consent to do so.  

For more information about how we process your personal data, you can refer to our Privacy Policy which can be obtained on request.

4. Telephone and Online Counselling

As we may operate remotely via video or telephone, it is important you have access to a safe, private and confidential space, a room free of distractions and interruptions.

FCS Talking Therapies is not responsible for any data breaches on your end of the video or call (i.e. someone listening through the door). Therefore, it is vital that you do your best to mitigate any potential breach to confidentiality during your sessions (i.e. go to a private room) and ensure your device has a secure setup and stable internet connection.

If there is a technological breakdown which prevents you both meeting online or over the phone, your therapist will discuss with you how to re-arrange your session. Persistent technological interruption from your end will result in the session being cancelled and charged at the full session rate agreed.

Important note:  We are unable to offer therapy sessions online or via telephone to anyone who travels outside of the United Kingdom and wants to continue their sessions whilst travelling abroad.  Therapy can only be carried out in the United Kingdom.

5. Late attendance and cancellations

Late attendance: If you arrive late for your appointment by 15 minutes or more, your therapist reserves the right to treat the session as a late cancellation.

It is important to notify your therapist as soon as you are aware of any potential delays. 

Cancellations: Non attendance, late cancellations, session amendments (less than 48 hours) or arriving late for your appointment by 15 minutes or more will count as a session within your therapy allocation and will be charged at the full session rate agreed. 

Two missed appointments without notification and/or last-minute cancellations will be charged at the full session rate agreed and you may be discharged from therapy with us.

If you wish to reschedule an appointment, please contact your therapist or our Administration team on 01795 591 019 at least 48 hours before the session.

6. Complaints 

If you are unhappy with any aspect of our therapy service, you are encouraged in the first instance to talk through your concerns with your therapist.

A copy of our Complaints Policy can be obtained upon request from the Administration team.

7. Your Rights

The Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) gives individuals certain rights regarding information held about them. Any requests for individual information are subject to our Subject Access Request (SAR) procedure. Once we have received the SAR we will respond within one month of the request.

It may be necessary to share your information with another qualified provider if, for any reason, FCS Talking Therapies is unable to continue to facilitate your treatment.