Private Counselling – Terms & Conditions
My London Practise is at 1 Snow Hill Court, EC1A 2EJ. (Entrance to Snow Hill Ct is off Snow Hill and through the graveyard of St Sepulchre without Newgate Church. ) There is good access with City Thameslink Station across the road and St Pauls Tube close by too. In the surrounding streets, there is some on-street parking – off the meter at 7pm. The sessions are on Wednesday and Thursday evenings with the first at 5pm and the last at 8.15pm. Each session costs £120 and is paid a week in advance.
My Sussex Practise is at the Sussex Osteopath Centre, 135-137 High Street, Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 9PU on Monday afternoons. The first session is at 2pm and the last at 4pm. Each session here costs £95 and is paid in advance.
On Monday evenings, there are sessions from 5pm with my associate Debbie Edwards in London. Debbie and I have worked together for fifteen years at RELATE and for the last five years running workshops together. She is fully trained in my method and sessions with her cost £95 and is paid in advance – and from Monday 7th November will be at 4th Floor, 3-5 Duke St, London W1U 3ED. The nearest tube station is Bond St.
On Thursday evenings, there are sessions from 5pm with my new associate Claudio Esposito at 4th Floor, 3-5 Duke St, London W1U 3ED. The nearest tube station is Bond St. Claudio and I have worked together for four years and, in addition, he has over twenty years experience as a family therapist. He is full trained in my method and sessions cost £95 and is paid in advance.
How does it work?
We provide an initial assessment session of fifty minutes to discuss your situation and whether Debbie, Claudio or myself are the right person to help. (If not we will make suggestions of the best way forward). At the end of the session, if you are still interested in counselling, we will discuss a contract of work together. Occasionally, it is possible to start on-going counselling directly after the initial assessment but in most cases, there is a break while you wait for a slot to become available.
How many sessions would I need?
This varies from person to person but we will give a rough idea at the initial assessment consultation, we generally see couples for twelve sessions and individuals for six. Our aim is to provide as many sessions as your circumstances require. Throughout the counselling process, we are happy to discuss your progress and give estimates of how many more sessions are needed. In general, we offer six weeks contracts (renewable) until we have resolved the situation to your satisfaction.
How do the contracts work?
We hold open your slot, so you will see me each week at the same time.
What if I am not able to attend?
If you cancel without giving two weeks notice, you will still have to pay for the session.
What about holidays and other prior commitments?
If you give notice of two weeks or more, you do not have to pay the full fee. However, there is a fee of £25 to keep the slot open for you while you are away.
What about your holidays or illnesses?
We will give at least two weeks notice of holidays and phone if we are unable to counsel for any unforeseen reason. Obviously, you will not be charged for the session nor will there be a fee to hold the slot open.
What if I decide to end counselling before the end of my contract or my problems are resolved part way through a contract?
We ask for one weeks notice if you wish to end your counselling, so that we can do a proper ending session. If your work is coming to end, we will discuss that in advance and you will not be liable for the rest of the sessions in the contract.
What about confidentiality?
We will not reveal anything about you or your particular circumstances unless we have reason to believe that there is a risk of serious harm (to yourself or another person – especially a child.) If this was the case, we would do my utmost to discuss the issues and my concerns with you first. I should add in twenty-five years working with couples and individuals and have never needed to break confidentiality yet.
What about your Andrew’s books and magazine and newspaper articles?
As you know, I am a writer and therefore ask my clients to let me use the learning and knowledge gained from our time together to inform my work. I will not reveal any personal identifying information. I also combine case histories to further protect anonymity. (This is not the case with sessions with Debbie or Claudio)
What if I arrive early?
If you are seeing me…..In London, my name is on a plaque outside, please buzz and I will let you into the building. In Sussex, there is a receptionist and a waiting area. Please come in and I will come down and collect you.
If you are seeing Debby or Claudio, there is NO waiting area at Duke St. However, there are lots of pubs and cafés in the area. Please ring the doorbell five minutes before your session and you will be buzzed into the building. We operate fifty minute sessions and do our best to keep to this timetable. If you are the first appointment of the evening, we will be in our room about five or ten minutes beforehand to answer the buzzer.
How do I make an appointment?
Please use the button on my website to register. I will endeavour to respond by email as soon as possible and let you know when there is likely to be an initial assessment with either Debby, Claudio or myself. After the initial consultation, if we do not have any available on-going slots, we will put you on our waiting list.
Can I have an initial assessment with Debby or Claudio and then see Andrew or visa versa?
Generally Debby, Claudio and I take our own initial assessments. However, I have taken on clients that she has seen first and others have had an initial session with me but found my waiting list for on-going work was too long and switched to a more immediate appointment with Debby or Claudio. In addition, Debbie is a qualified sex therapist and Claudio a qualified family therapist and we sometimes make appropriate referrals to each other and generally work as a team. However, my advice would be to work – if possible – with the same person for the initial assessment and on-going work.
How do I pay?
The initial consultation assessment is paid in advance via paypal and each subsequent appointment is paid a week in advance – by cheque, cash or standing order.
What if I still have questions?
Put them on the box used for registration and I will answer via email.
Andrew G Marshall
October 2011
