Terms of Agreement
Before the beginning of our work together, it is important for us to have a working agreement, so that we both know what is required from each other.
Please read the agreement carefully and if you agree with its terms, sign in the appropriate box at the bottom. Feel free to discuss with me any clause that needs clarification.
My name is Katia Castiglione, and I am a qualified couple and individual psychodynamic psychotherapist and a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MBACB). I abide by the BACP ethical framework. My theoretical background is psychodynamic.
Aim of counselling
The aim of counselling is to provide you with the confidential opportunity to explore personal and relational issues in safety. I practice a psychodynamic approach to counselling. This means I work with you to explore what lies beneath your feelings and behaviours in the past and present, and how this has affected you and your relationship. My role is to help you through this process without judgement or telling you what to do.
Session times
Sessions last 50 minutes and will, unless agreed otherwise, take place at the same time every week. Any session that begins after the agreed start time due to late client arrival for any reason, cannot be extended beyond the original ending time.
Missed and cancelled sessions
Consistency and commitment are important aspects of working together and fundamental to the therapeutic process. The therapy is a regular session that is reserved just for you. Therefore, once a booking is in place, missed sessions will incur a fee as my time remains reserved and available for you. However, if there is a mutually convenient time to reschedule a missed session I will endeavour to do so. Please be aware that rescheduling a session may not always be possible, in which case the missed session will be charged in full. If I cancel a session, you will of course not be charged.
Confidentiality
Therapy requires that confidentiality is maintained within the service provided. The service requires that all psychotherapists have a legal and professional obligation to use regular supervision to enhance the quality of their work. This is in accordance with the ethics of the governing body that I am registered with (BACP). I will not give your name, or any information about you, to anyone outside my practice, with the exception listed under "Exceptions to Confidentiality".
Exceptions to Confidentiality
There are limits to confidentiality if information is disclosed in sessions which indicates either you or another are at risk of harm. The therapist is legally obliged to liaise with relevant services such as your GP in order to support your care. In this event, we will have a discussion and you will be informed of this decision.
Psychotherapist’s incapacitation
In the event I am to be found unable to carry out our contact due to sever unexpected events such as an illness or another temporary or permanent incapacitation cause, I have designated a trusted psychotherapist as my professional executor. My professional executor will, in the above circumstances, gain access to your records and contact you to discuss interim and further support.
Data Protection
I am committed to respecting and protecting your personal information. Please visit my website to find out more information about how your data is stored.
Referral
In the course of working together, I may find your needs are outside the scope of my training or expertise. In such cases, I may recommend a referral to another therapist or medical practitioner.
Holidays
I will try and give you a minimum of 3 weeks’ notice of any planned holiday dates when I will be unavailable. I require at least 3 weeks’ notice from you too. I do not charge for planned missed sessions due to holiday, providing you give me at least 3 weeks’ notice. I equally do not charge for sessions during my holiday period.
Contact between sessions
In instances where you need to contact me between sessions to cancel or rearrange a session, emails can be sent to therapywithme.now@gmail.com.
Please note that I am not a crisis or emergency service. If you need to speak to someone immediately, please contact one of the services outlined at the bottom of this page.
Should I need to re-arrange an appointment, I would use your preferred method of contact to do so.
If we meet outside of the counselling session, I will not greet you as to protect your privacy. However, you are welcome to greet me in which case I will greet you back, but we will not be able to discuss anything related to our work together nor engage in a conversation. In order to respect the boundaries of the therapeutic relationship, it is required that we keep our relationship within the safe space of our sessions together. I am therefore unable to accept any social media befriending requests.
Fees
Sessions are 50 minutes long and you can view my fees here on my website.
All sessions must be paid by bank transfer monthly. I will send you an invoice via Xero at the end of each month. Paying promptly avoids spending time and energy on finances and allows us to focus on the reason you have sought therapy. Please make payments to the following account within two days from receiving my invoice:
Katia Castiglione
Santander Bank
Sort code: 09 01 29
Account number: 58 69 88 66
Endings
Therapy can be terminated at any time by either party. However, I do believe in the importance of endings, and I would encourage you to give us time to discuss your decision and have a proper ending session if possible.
If you feel unable to keep yourself safe please contact one of the following:
Your GP
The Samaritans: 08457 90 90 90
NHS Direct: 0845 46 47
Sane Line: 0845 678 000 (6pm to 11pm)