Legal & Policy Information
Professional Policy
At all times I endeavour to provide an ethical service to my clients that upholds my high professional standards.
Respecting my client's autonomy is essential to the therapy they receive from me. As such, I offer my services solely as a psychodynamic counsellor and do not provide clients with advice, guidance, instruction or coaching in any form.
I reserve the right to not offer or cease offering my services if I feel this would breach professional or legal guidelines, cause me to provide my service in a manner I deem would be unethical or at the detriment to a client's well-being, or otherwise compromise myself in any way. In situations where these values seem to the client to be at odds with one another, we will be able to discuss the matter with a view to resolving and reaching a common understanding.
I will always retain my own autonomy and not conduct my practise in a manner that places myself or my practise in jeopardy and I reserve my right to determine my own course of action in situations where ethical dilemmas arise.
In order to maintain a secure boundary to each client's therapy, I will not offer my services to friends, relatives or known associates of clients whilst their therapy is ongoing or soon after it has ended.
Although matters relating to my services may be discussed further as a matter of course, It is assumed by myself that all information presented on this website is understood by those receiving my services.
Agreement
In addition to the points outlined on this page, all clients are required to sign a counselling agreement that they will be free to discuss during their initial session. The purpose of the agreement is to establish an understanding of the counselling process, outline important aspects to matters such as session fees, as well as safeguard clients against unethical practice. The details of the agreement as written are detailed below.
Professional Standards
The counsellor will, as a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, practice in accordance with the BACP’s Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions (2018) and abide by their membership requirements. The counsellor will abide by UK laws and regulations required of a counsellor offering an ethical and professional service.
Arranging Sessions
Sessions take place on a regular weekly basis at the same day and time each week. Sessions last for 50 minutes from the time the session is due to start and clients cannot attend their sessions beyond the arranged time. If a client is late to a session they can still attend until the session is due to end. Sessions are best kept routine, but can be rearranged to different days/times if needed, although this depends on the client's and counsellor's availability. Remote sessions may be arranged if a client can not attend sessions in exceptional circumstances, but clients must not be in public spaces and/or with other people present when attending their sessions remotely.
Fees
Fees are charged for all sessions offered to the client, including when the client fails to attend for any reason. Planned absences arranged prior to the initial session will not be charged for the first two months of the clients therapy. Fees are not charged for sessions that the counsellor cancels or does not attend. Fees must be paid after each session via cash or BACS transfer on a weekly basis or on a monthly basis as arranged.
Breaks and Endings
Except for emergencies, any breaks or absences in sessions should be mentioned to the counsellor. Sessions continue until the client decides to end their therapy or if there are exceptional changes in circumstances for either the client or counsellor. As an important part of the therapy, endings should be planned with the intention to bring sessions to a managed end over a period of time as decided by the client. Repeated failures to either attend or pay fees for sessions may result in the therapy being ended by the counsellor. All outstanding fees will still be charged with payment expected by the end of the following month.
Boundaries
Sessions are kept fully private and confidential in accordance with BACP regulations. The counsellor offers their services solely as a psychodynamic counsellor with the sincere aim of helping the client. What is discussed in sessions will not be shared with third parties, although very limited information about the service a client is receiving may be shared only if requested by the client and if the counsellor agrees to this. Personal interactions outside the sessions will be avoided to maintain the integrity of the therapy, although the counsellor and the client may at times contact one another, via email etc, as a way of informing one another of practical matters relating to sessions. Clients will not be permitted to attend their sessions if drunk or under the influence of narcotics of any kind.
Data Protection & Privacy
Trust, security and peace of mind are important aspects of psychotherapeutic work. As such, any details concerning my clients and their session material is kept confidential and protected, as detailed in my privacy policy on this page. For the benefit of my clients and myself, I practise in full accordance with the following regulations:
Privacy Policy Statement
Introduction.
William Deacon MBACP (the ‘data controller’, referred to below as, “me”, "myself" or “I”) is committed to protecting your privacy. Please read carefully the following in order to learn more about my privacy policy and my information collection and use practices. "You", as used below, may refer to both you as an individual, my clients in general, or anyone reading this statement to whom it is relevant.
This policy only applies to data collected by myself. Third parties, which in a professional capacity may be linked to me, are not covered by this policy. If you, having read this statement, have any queries concerning your personal information or any questions on my use of your information, please contact me via email at wdeacon.counselling@gmail.com.
By contacting me you recognise you have consented to my processing of your information under the terms of this policy.
What information is collected?
Requesting access to my services or inquiring into my services can be done via email or phone through the details I provide, or in person. These processes involve providing me with your name, your email address(es) and phone number(s). In order to arrange for you to receive my services, I may also request information on your availability, therapeutic issues, and other details I deem relevant to considering your request. This information is collected to determine whether both you and myself are similarly available for you to receive the counselling service I offer, and for me to determine whether the service I offer is in any way unsuitable to your needs.
During your counselling session(s) I may ask you to provide information concerning your personal, social, financial and medical circumstances. This too is information collected to determine whether the service I offer is in any way unsuitable to your needs and for me to manage the service I provide to you. I want to ensure you receive the service best for you.
To ensure I am providing you with the highest level of service I can, I may sometimes keep notes on your sessions. These are brief and include such things as summaries to the material you have brought to your sessions, as well as my own professional observations and interpretations to that material. As you continue with your sessions, this information may be added to and amended as a means of reflecting any progression in your counselling.
How is your information used?
The information you provide me is used so that I may provide my counselling service to you. As mentioned above, it is also to determine both your availability to receive my counselling service and my availability to provide it, as well as determine whether the service I offer is in any way unsuitable to your needs, and for me to manage the service I provide to you.
The information is used so I may contact you solely in regards to the services I provide as a means of administering my service, including the (re)arrangement of sessions and the handling of financial matters. I may also use the information to improve my service to ensure that it is provided in the most effective manner for you and for myself.
The information you provide is kept fully confidential, but is also used to manage my administrative, professional and legal obligations to the professional associations that I am a member of and subject to as a counsellor providing this service, and to the law.
How is your information shared?
I will not share any information about you with other people or organisations, except in the following circumstances:
I may share your information with others in a professional capacity, whom you have requested and we both agree I may contact if necessary.
I may share your information with the relevant authorities if I have reason to believe that this may prevent serious harm being caused to you or another person.
I may share your information where I am required to by law or by the regulations and other rules to which I am subject.
Sharing your information may have a detrimental effect on the therapeutic process and the counselling you receive from me. It is therefore something I avoid where at all possible, preferring to first explore the issue with you as part of the counselling service you receive.
How is your information kept secure?
All information you provide to me is stored as securely as possible. Any paper based information is kept secure within my own professional premises. This location is securely locked when I am not there and is accessible only via my house or via gate access to my garden, which is locked when I am either not present there or expecting it to be used.
Contact details used for contact between you and myself that are kept electronically are also appropriately secured. Phone numbers are stored on a SIM card that only I use solely for my professional services, in a separate phone that only I use solely for my professional services, that is itself protected from access by a PIN code.
Email addresses used for correspondence between you and myself are stored within a password protected Gmail account. This account is used solely for my business and is accessed only on private internet connections, from devices only I own and know are protected from viruses and other online security threats, in as much as those cyber-security products and features are capable. Similarly to myself, these third party services are subject to laws and regulations such as The Data Protection Act and GDPR, ensuring any information is kept securely protected, subject to their own privacy policies.
The transmission of information via the internet may never be completely secure. Although every effort is taken to protect your information, the security of all data transmitted via the internet or on mobile networks cannot be guaranteed. Any transmission is at your own risk and I am not responsible for any information held on devices that you or others possess.
Following guidelines for suitable record keeping, on a client-by-client basis all information is kept for no more than three years once providing my services to you has ended. Information after this point is deleted and/or shredded.
Your rights.
You have the right to ask me to provide a copy of your own, and only your own, information held by me in my records. You also have the right to request me to correct any inaccuracies in your personally identifiable information.
Details regarding your counselling kept to ensure I am providing you with a high level of service, such as my private notes, will not be disclosed to anyone under any circumstances, including clients and those known to them. These private notes will not be changed at your request as these are my own professional observations and interpretations to the material you have presented during your sessions.
You may withdraw your consent for myself to hold and process any of your information, and only your information, at any time. By doing this while actively receiving counselling services from me, you agree to bring your counselling to an immediate end. This does not affect the above statement with regards to the nondisclosure of my private notes You can withdraw your consent for me to hold your information by submitting a formal written request to me directly.
Cookies.
As with many websites, this website may use cookies to track your browsing data. I do not collect any personal information on my website. Any information relating to your browsing data is not shared by myself with any third party with the exception of Google Analytics. This is a service that this website, like many others, may use to collect generic, anonymous data from all visitors to monitor how my website is used and accessed. This data is shared with Google in return for the service they provide and is none of your data is accessible by myself.
Changes to this privacy policy statement.
I may amend this policy from time to time with the intention to ensure I am providing a service in accordance with current legislation and other guidelines. It also may be amended to ensure both you and I are suitably protected or to clarify sections of it. I make every effort to provide you with the highest level of service I can. Information on amendments to this privacy policy statement can be provided to you if necessary.
Version 6. October 2023.
