Code of Ethics and Professional Practice
This Code sets out how I approach my work with clients. You will be directed here prior to us working together, and asked for your consent and agreement to what is described here.
Please read the following carefully to understand the terms which will apply to any and all of our therapeutic work together, should you become a client.
By proceeding to book any Sessions with me, you are accepting and consenting to the practices described in this Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
1. Principles I hold myself to in all my client relationships and interactions:
Respecting your rights and dignity at all times
Maintaining professional boundaries in my relationship with you, and avoiding any relationships that may exploit your trust
Protecting your confidentiality and privacy, in line with current GDPR
Offering you compassion and non-judgement in all Sessions and communications
Avoiding diagnosing any physical or psychological pathology and making treatment recommendations on such basis
Keeping or disposing of any records of your personal information in secure and GDPR-compliant ways
Charging you accurately and fairly for any and all offered Services
2. In all of my interactions with you, I ask that you:
Respect my rights and dignity at all times
Adhere to the agreed professional boundaries as laid out in this code and to be honest and transparent if that becomes problematic
Communicate anything you feel relevant to our work together in a timely manner, and in the context of your agreement to my Communications Between Sessions policy (see Section 7, below)
3. Client-Therapist Relationship
The success of therapeutic work is widely recognised to be determined significantly by the rapport between therapist and client. In the interests of building a strong therapeutic relationship, I commit to the following principles, and ask that you do, too:
No dual relationships. This means that we do not embark on a friendship, romantic or sexual relationship together during our work, and if feelings arise in any of these directions, these are to be shared transparently so that the appropriateness of the continuation of the therapeutic work can be reviewed. In this case I will likely refer you to another professional to ensure you receive an appropriate therapeutic experience and the highest level of service. This is to protect both of us and is in both our best interests
If a dual relationship already applies (for instance, where we are already friends), then this is to be discussed and clear boundaries agreed upon before starting the work, and to be regularly touched in on between us as we navigate professional interactions, and other platonic interactions.
If any conflict of interest exists or arises in our therapeutic relationship, we both agree to be transparent about it and accept this may mean therapeutic work is no longer appropriate between us.
If there is a rupture in our therapeutic rapport, we agree that opportunity will be given for authentic communication, in whatever form can be mutually agreed upon.
To create and agree upon a Therapy Agreement regarding expectations, rights, responsibilities and financial obligations before we start any work together.
Respect each other’s right to terminate our professional relationship at any time, subject to and in accordance with the agreement made.
In the event of either party requesting to terminate the work, refunds will be given for unused sessions, and no refunds will be given for Sessions already completed.
If I feel that our work is no longer beneficial to you, or that in order to protect my own needs it must be terminated, I reserve the right to terminate our professional relationship and work together at any time. I will provide opportunity for feedback about our work together on a continuous basis, unless stated otherwise in writing.
4. Confident-iality
Everything that you share with me as part of our work together - including your contact details is entirely confidential. All information will be stored securely and in keeping with current GDPR.
I will not share any information with anyone, except in the case of concern for your safety or the safety of others, or am required to do so for legal reasons by a Court.
5. Commitment to my Work
I commit to maintaining and improving my professional skills through personal practice, ongoing study, continued professional development and/or supervision or mentorship.
I will not harass or dismiss you, verbally or by any other means, in person or online.
I commit to making sure I am in a fit and healthy state to offer my services. If I am not, I agree to stop our work until I am, seeking any relevant professional help in order to restore my wellbeing. If needed and mutually agreed, I will offer you alternative professional support.
I will conduct myself in all aspects of my work with honesty and integrity.
6. Scope of Practice
As stated, I will refrain from making any diagnoses - physical or psychological, and from offering treatments based on any diagnostic assessment.
I will make every effort to ensure that my qualifications, expertise and skills are appropriate to meet your needs, and to express clearly to you how I perceive them to be (or not be) appropriate to you in our Discovery Call and Initial Consultation.
If I feel unable to meet your needs professionally, I will be honest, straightforward and transparent with you about this and if you agree, may make a suggestion to you of a professional who may be better suited to your needs.
I am not a BACP or UKCP Psychotherapist and therefore am not governed by those bodies, though I will endeavour to reasonably mirror the standards required by them to the best of my ability, as a self-determining Therapist.
One core point of difference is that I do not record session notes, except for extremely brief, hand-written notes quoting only verbatim phrases, so that I can mirror your own language back to you accurately in that particular Session. Following each Session I securely destroy these notes, which are made without name reference in any case.
The reason for this style of practice is that my work centres around what is specifically arising in the given moment, and from that specific and tangible point, we then explore what arises. This means I do not go into Sessions with an agenda to ‘pick up where we left off last time’, or to lay out a ‘treatment plan’ from a position of any assumed knowledge as to what you need, over time. I trust that material that wants attention will present itself organically, and do not consider my role to be to ‘draw it out’ or to try to determine the trajectory of our explorations in any way.
My role is predominantly to hold space for you to make enquiries and explore your own feelings, narratives, beliefs, sensations, thoughts and imagery. It is not my place to tell you what any of these mean, but I may offer you reflections and observations from time to time. I will always situate these from within my own perspective and offer you such reflections or observations as enquiry points and questions, rather than as statements, judgements or teaching points arrived at by deduction, interpretation or projection.
I will likely seek supervision from within the iRest Institute® for my professional practice to ensure I am upholding these standards to the best of my ability, and consistently refining my skillset.