Terms of Agreement
The clinical process
Melody Coutts practices psychoanalytic psychotherapy which draws on theories and practices of analytical psychology and psychoanalysis. It is a therapeutic process which helps patients understand and resolve their problems by increasing awareness of their inner world and its influence over relationships both past and present.
Individual therapy can be once, twice or three times weekly and is open ended. Appointments take place on a mutually agreed day and time each week and last for 50 minutes. Couple therapy is the same as above but is normally once a week. Sessions are not less than once weekly for either mode of therapy. As working towards an ending is an important part of the work it is helpful to discuss this first and allow a minimum of four weeks to the end of treatment.
All discussions in counselling and psychotherapy are confidential. Any discussions with you or notes I write are confidential and will not be disclosed to any other person without your consent. Information held about my clients is covered by the Data Protection Act 1988 and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018, and will not be disclosed to third parties. The only exceptions to your confidentiality are if I am required to disclose information by a court of law, or in order to protect you or another person from significant harm.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Registration
Melody Coutts is registered to practice by the British Psychoanalytic Council practising by their Code of Ethics and maintains professional indemnity insurance.
Fees and Cancellation
My fees reflect my considerable experience and training in working with individuals and couples in a specialist area of psychotherapy.
Fees for individual therapy are £80 - £120 per session and £90 - £150 for couple therapy depending upon income. Reduced rates may be available under special circumstances.
FEES
Payment
Payment is by cash, cheque or bank transfer.
Terms are 7 days from receipt of invoice with the exception of the initial consultation which is due upon presentation.
Fee rates are reviewed annually and are notified in advance
Invoices are presented monthly unless otherwise agreed.
The standard practice in psychoanalytic psychotherapy of charging for missed or cancelled sessions is adopted unless otherwise agreed. There are usually three holiday breaks per annum at Christmas, Easter and during the summer. This policy is undertaken as therapy is a commitment by both parties and as such the session time is exclusively allocated to the client and not normally re-allocated in the event of absence