Frequently Asked Questions

---

The BACP is a membership and accreditation body within the counselling, psychotherapy & coaching space that aims for professional conduct to the highest and ethical position possible. Who review all members to ensure they are highly skills, trained and ethical with the services they provide. The BACP also sets standards for high quality professional conduct, continues training standards, along with standards for qualifications and training.

As being a registered member of the BACP in both the counselling division and coaching division, who's undertaken BACP accredited training, its a requirement that I adhere to the BACP Ethical Framework. This is a commitment towards ensure the services I provide are ethical,  in the best interests of my clients and ensure I offer best practice that is also safe and respectful. 

For further information on the BACP Ethical Framework, please click here. Where you can visit the BACP website for further details and download a PDF of the full framework for your own reading.

As being fully insured and a member of the BACP its both a legal and BACP membership requirement that some information about you is needed to be held for up to six years from the point of our last session.  Further more, some information is required for the purpose of business operations, safeguarding and risk management.  

After six years your data will be deleted. 

Data held about you is stored securely, digitally within my file system which is encrypted and further layers of password protection and authentication measured applied. GDPR is followed to ensure your data is kept safe and secure. 

For confidentiality, please refer the Confidentially section. 

No outside agencies or individuals have access to this information.

Information collected 

• Brief Sessions notes - typically non descriptive E.g Attended session in person, spoke about family challenges, used counselling to help explore and further coaching intervention to help make change.  

• Payment log - Required for business operations 

• Attendance log - Required for business operations, Insurance and BACP membership 

• Minimal personal details - Required for business operations and emergency situations  
  • Name
  • DOB
  • Address
  • GP details 
  • Contact phone number & email address
  • Need to know medical conductions that could effect therapy. Such as allergies and use of emergency medicine 

Inquire, Bookings and Consultations

• Inquire 3rd party provider
  • When making an inquiry from a third party such as Counselling Directory, BACP Directory... Or other directories that I advertise from, any data they might collect is part of using their service. Any data you submitted to them about an inquiry directed to myself is managed and usually stored by such third party. If a third party directory sends your inquiry data to myself, this is typically by a secure process from their automated system. Such data could be sent to me by email to the Infulistic domain for example. Information from a third party directory is only for the purpose of contacting you in regards to inquiry and making further arrangements to engage with the services I provide. 

• Booking directly from Infulistic website
  • A third party tool is used to help facilitate any bookings for consultations. The data they might collect from this is the responsibility of such third party tool. When making a booking, a small amount of personal information is required for business operations to assist in facilitating the booking. Such information being, name, contact details and an optional notes section where you can note down anything you wish to be known in advance. Data is stored both by the 3rd party tool and stored security within an email/calendar. 

• Consultations 
  • Within a consultation, as stated above a small amount of information is recorded. Such as attendance logs and session notes for business operations, insurance and BACP requirements. 

Communication

• Communication is typically by SMS, email, phone calls or video calls unless agreed otherwise in advance. All communication is handled directly by myself with no-one else having access. Confidentiality is treated with importance. Communication systems are secure using provided security features and measurements. Such as two way authentication, biometric, passwords and encryption. Data from communication can be help for up to 6 years from our last communication.

Data withdrawal 

• All details are confidential and will not be shared with any third party (subject to the confidentiality clauses set out in my therapy contract).
• Please note you have the right to withdraw consent at any time for this information to be held. This should be done in writing (e.g email). 
• This Privacy Policy does not apply to the practices of third parties that I do not own or control.

Cookies

Cookies are bits of information (memory files) stored in your browser by sites you visit. As is common practice with almost all websites, this site uses cookie to improve your experience by remembering your preferences and enable other cookie-based features (e.g. analytics).

Our Cookies
When you submit data through a form such as those found on contact pages or comment forms, cookies may be set to remember your user details for future correspondence.

In order to provide you with a better experience and remember your preferences, I set cookies so that this information can be called whenever you interact with a page.

Third-Party cookies
In special cases, I also use cookies provided by trusted third parties like Google Analytics. Third party analytics are used to track and measure usage of this site so that I can continue to produce engaging content.

As a registered member of the BACP its a requirement that I attend clinical supervision on a regular basis. The objective of clinical supervision is to help me continue to develop skills, awareness and understanding. While ensuring I continuously provide a safe and ethical service in the best interest of my clients. Any client work taken to supervision is non-descriptive and non-identifiable.

An example could be:

I'm working with client who has anxiety and feels to struggle with some of the tools I've offered. What alternatives could be offered?

My Service is based around confidentially. What is shared within sessions does not leave those sessions. I ensure the service offers privacy and respects what you share as deeply personal.

There are a handful of exceptions where confidentially can be breached. This is a case by case situation. However it would surround situations of safeguarding and safety where your own immediate personal safety or that of others is at risk. Along with terrorism and money money laundering, which under UK law and regulations has to be shared with law enforcement 

When confidentially is going to be breached, this will be identified within our session and discussed.

Immediate safeguarding and safety concerns shall be raised with my clinical supervisor, where the next steps shall be coordinated appropriately.

Breaching confidentially is a rare situation to happen, although both a legal requirement by UK law and also of the BACP to ensure we provide a safe and ethical service.

As like with any service, Counselling, Psychotherapy and Coaching also use a contract. Which is a common and ethical aspect of providing such a service. 

Our contractual agreement is a formal and important aspect. Outlining a mutual understanding in a range of areas to set expectations within our working relationship. 

I view our contract as a live document that we can work together in updating if required. As some aspects of contracting can be verbal, not all eventualities can be listed down. 

As our work evolves, we might verbally and/or in writing alter our agreement or add additions to our arrangements. These can be in areas, such as a change in session days or times, an arrangement on something within the session, our approach within the work.

Changes from my side might have to be made, inline with with legal and ethical requirements. 

All changes to the contract will be openly discussed as and when.

Overall the contract will inform you on some of the following areas. 

• Date/time of sessions be held
• Location of sessions
• Data processing
• Cancelation process
• Ending process
• methods of communication outside of sessions
• information on medial issues
• Payment methods and schedule 
• What service is being provided

BACP info on contracting

Payment will be by bank transfer and needs to be made 48 hours before our session. 

Block booking is also offered, where you are able to book a block of sessions ahead of time and pay in advance.

When we agree to working together my business bank account details will be provided as part of contracting.  

Receipts and invoicing can be provided on request

Payments can be accepted by a third party. Where payment is being made by a third party, such as an employer or someone else rather than yourself directly, its expected they will engage within a payment contract. 

Such contract will outline how payments are going to be made, who is the point of contact and further limits of confidentially. 

48 hours notice will be required if you are looking to cancel a session, however I understand that life is not always a simple flow and offer an understanding to the odd last minute changes now and then. Life does sometimes throw a curve ball. 

If you choose to cancel a session before the 48 hours, no fee will be charged. A full fee will be charged if cancelling less than 48 hours before the session.

If in the unfortunate event I have to cancel your session on my behalf, all efforts will be made to inform you with as much notice as possible.

In either events, we can collaborate and rearrange your session at another mutually suitable time/days where possible or agree to continue on our next usual scheduled session. In the event where cancelation was on my behalf, no session fee will be charged. 

Days & Times 

Once we agree to work together, your session days and times are reserved exclusively for you.

Sessions are typically held weekly, unless we agree on a different schedule, such as bi-weekly or monthly. Each session is 50 minutes unless otherwise arranged. Days, times, and session lengths can be adjusted if needed.

In-Person

I will meet you within the reception waiting area at our agreed time. The building management require you populate a visitor log for fire safety, so they can track how many people are within the building. As I offer a confidential service, you do not need to enter your details, but a random letter for the first and last name. Ensure you search for my name as 'Chris Murrell' from the menu. 

Online 

You will require a private space where you will not be disturbed. I will be within a confidential room with only myself. If in the event we have technical difficulties, I will reach out by phone call. Online sessions will be offered using Google Meets, unless we agree otherwise.

If we happen to see each other outside of sessions, I will not initially acknowledge you to maintain confidentiality and respect your privacy. You may be with someone who isn’t aware of your counselling. However, if you choose to acknowledge me, I will respond with a brief greeting. If we happen to see each other outside of sessions, I will not initially acknowledge you to maintain confidentiality and respect your privacy. You may be with someone who isn’t aware of your counselling. However, if you choose to acknowledge me, I will respond with a brief greeting. 

Communication between sessions can occur via text messages, phone calls, and emails, with any other methods requiring prior agreement.

Please allow up to 48 hours for a response to any messages or calls you make to me outside of our sessions.

In the event of an emergency where I am not able to be contacted/ I have not respond right way, it's recommended to contact 999.