• are over 18 years of age
• are not falsifying your identity or email details
• not receiving any other therapy, counselling or psychiatric care
• will declare any previous therapy or psychiatric care
• are not at risk of harming yourself or others
• will declare any medications taken, drug or alcohol dependency or abuse, any other addictions
• your sole purpose of counselling is for your personal and confidential counselling use only
• you will declare at the outset if there exists any additional agenda in your seeking counselling. This may include, but is not limited to, undergoing counselling for research, publishing, distribution or any other secondary purpose.
• you will declare at the outset if your particpation in this counselling will be shared in any form, be it, recordings, transcripts, copying or reporting of or on the experience, your impressions thereof, surveillance and any other use of the session, verbal or otherwise, other than for your personal therapeutic benefit.
• that your participation within the counselling process is entirely and absolutely for personal, therapeutic use.

2. Telephone Counselling
Appointments for mutually agreed session times are made in advance of the session. Your session is 60 minutes starting at the agreed time. If you cannot make the agreed appointment and give reasonable prior notice*, I will endeavour to re-schedule your appointment. Time missed due to lateness or failure to telephone or meet online at the agreed hour is forfeited by you and fees are payable in full. Payments for initial sessions must be paid for at the time of booking.  Payments for further sessions must be received, in full, at the time of booking. This ensures I keep the time reserved for you. I accept payments by Paypal. Counselling is normally undertaken on a weekly basis at the same time and day each week.

3. Instant Messenger or 'Chat' Counselling

Appointments follow the same structure as for Telephone Counselling, except that we meet at the agreed appointment time at The Being Well's Secure Server Chat Facility. MSN Messenger, Skype Messenger or other IM software can be utilised.

I offer Instant Messenger Counselling to clients with whom: I have been working with either face-to-face or over the telephone and I have assessed as suitable candidates for using IM as a medium for conducting counselling. New clients wishing to pursue IM online counselling will need to: attend between two and four sessions either physically or over the telephone; and undergo asssessment by myself as to the suitability of IM software as a medium for a positive counselling experience before being considered for IM counselling.

4. Fees

4.1 Non-attended sessions

If you are undergoing on-going regular therapy either by telephone or face-to-face, fees are due for each weekly session whether attended or not until therapy has finished. The exceptions are illness and pre-discussed holidays. If notice is given about inability to attend, I will do my best to provide an alternative time within that week.

4.2 Attended sessions

Telephone therapy invoices must be paid in full prior to the session. Face-to-face sessions can be paid for on a weekly or monthly basis.

Fees for all sessions must be kept up to date. Failure or lateness to pay will incur a suspension of counselling.
Fees are subject to revision with immediate effect. However, I will endeavour to give existing clients advance notice.

4.3 Additional Support

If you require support between sessions, this can, by agreement, be supplied in either telephone or email format. This is chargeable. Please view the main website or ask for current rates.

5. Confidentiality
I will do my best to keep the content of your e-mails and chat sessions confidential although this is not 100% possible when using the internet (please read the  Disclaimer). After I have received your history and personal details, you may wish to consider not including personally identifiable content in chat sessions and further emails that contain sensitive content. You may need to consider the fact that other people may have access to your computer and you will need to decide how to keep our counselling confidential if you wish to do so. There are also potential internet threats of Messenger and 'Chat' services being compromised.

If I feel you are in danger of coming to harm or that someone you are in contact with might be harmed, I will need to break confidentiality in order to protect you or the third party. I would do my best to discuss this with you and involve you in the process but therapy may need to be suspended.

My e-mail or verbal replies, our messenger dialogue and our telephone conversations may not be transcribed, printed, posted or published either in whole or in part without my express, written permission. Material arising from the counselling including your experience of the process may not be used for commercial purposes, interviews, media without my express, written permission.

6. Supervision
I may discuss aspects of the work we do together with my supervisor. This is usual within the profession and is to ensure the high standard of my work. I would not reveal your identity to them.

7. Code of ethics
I abide by the code of ethics of the United Kingdom Council of Psychotherapy

8. Notice of Cancellation
Less than 48 hours notice - full fees are due. If possible, I will offer an alternative appointment that week.
More than 48 hours notice - If possible, I will offer an alternative appointment that week. If not, 50% of fees are due.
Notice of holidays and other foreseen absences given with at least one week's notice: no fees are due for missed session(s). However, it may be necessary to change your regular booking time if absences are frequent and/or prolonged.

9. Delivery
Delivery constitutes Deborah Ward's availability for the scheduled hour and will conclude at the scheduled end-time regardless of client's delay or lateness in starting. Therefore, please be prompt. 'Delivery' will be deemed 'Received' regardless of whether the client 'attends' the session or not. The exception to this is if a minimum of 48 hours notice is received and a mutually-convenient alternative session is agreed.

In the event that Deborah Ward is unable to deliver the session as agreed (e.g. my inability or failure to 'attend' in whole or in part), you, the client, will be given a full refund.

10. Geographical Setting
This counselling and therapy service is provided in the United Kingdom and is available to UK citizens residing and located within the United Kingdom at the time of the service being provided. Any prospective or current client must declare, at the outset, their geographic location and citizenship if other than British. All and any therapeutic and counselling service by Deborah Ward of The Being Well is specifically denied to people who live in a country or state other than the UK that requires licensure in that location. It is the responsibility of the client to declare, at the outset, any legal requirements their area of citizenship demands.

11. Dispute
Deborah Ward of The Being Well and you, the client, agree that any dispute arising out of this service shall first be resolved by mediation, if possible. This contract was entered into in Oxfordshire County, United Kingdom, and any necessary arbitration or litigation will take place in this county. All terminology is intended for a UK audience; those not familiar with UK psychotherapy and counselling terms should not assume nor construe meaning applicable to a non-UK service, professional qualifications, standards or any other aspect of The Being Well's operations.

12. Disclaimer - Please read the Disclaimer