Client Agreement

1. Nature of the service

Open Mind Therapy provides psychotherapy for adults. The work is depth-oriented, integrative and relational, centred on psychodynamic work and informed by selected DBT skills, somatic-informed awareness and work that strengthens self-direction and adaptive action according to clinical need and professional judgement.

The Open Mind Method may be used as an evidence-informed organising framework. It is not a medical treatment, diagnostic system or independently validated manualised therapy. Outcomes cannot be guaranteed.

2. Assessment and suitability

The initial assessment is normally 90 minutes and currently costs £150 unless another written arrangement has been agreed. Assessment considers what has brought you to therapy, relevant history, current support, risk, suitability, aims and the proposed structure of the work.

An assessment does not guarantee that ongoing therapy will be offered. Where appropriate, alternatives or signposting may be discussed.

3. Your therapy arrangement

Before ongoing therapy begins, session duration, frequency, format, fee, any supported-fee or additional-clinical-collaboration arrangement, and the expected review point are confirmed in Konfidens or another written booking confirmation. That client-specific written confirmation forms part of the agreement.

Therapy normally begins weekly where clinically appropriate. Frequency is reviewed as therapy progresses and fortnightly work may be agreed where clinically suitable.

4. Attendance and lateness

Sessions begin and end at the agreed time. If you are late, the session still ends at the scheduled time and the full fee remains payable. If no information has been received by 10 minutes after the scheduled start, the session is treated as ended. Where you have provided information about a delay, the therapist may wait up to 15 minutes.

These check-ins are administrative and must not be relied upon as emergency monitoring.

5. Cancellation and rescheduling

At least 72 hours’ notice is required to cancel or reschedule. A session cancelled with less than 72 hours’ notice is normally charged in full. If Open Mind Therapy fills the appointment with another paying client or otherwise avoids part or all of the financial loss, the charge will be reduced or refunded accordingly.

With at least 72 hours’ notice, an unavoidable change may be moved within the same week where availability permits, or otherwise moved to the end of the bundle. This carry-forward arrangement is normally limited to three sessions per bundle.

6. Payment and bundles

Ongoing therapy is normally purchased in advance through a five-session bundle at the applicable full rate or a ten-session bundle with a 10% discount. Five-session bundles are normally intended to be completed within three months and ten-session bundles within six months; these are completion windows, not forfeiture deadlines.

Continuation is reviewed before the current bundle ends. Where therapy is continuing, the next bundle is invoiced according to the agreed renewal timing. Bank transfer is preferred; secure payment links or Konfidens may also be used where appropriate.

7. Cooling-off, ending and refunds

Where a bundle is agreed at a distance, a statutory 14-day cancellation period normally applies from the day after the contract is made. Therapy will not begin during that period unless you make a separate express request to start early. If you cancel after an expressly requested early start, a proportionate charge may apply for services already supplied.

You may end a bundle at any time. Delivered sessions and sessions properly chargeable under the cancellation terms remain payable. Any further deduction from an advance payment must reflect a demonstrable direct net loss after costs saved and reasonable mitigation are considered. Any remaining prepaid balance is refundable; you may choose account credit instead. Statutory rights remain unaffected.

8. Confidentiality

Therapy is confidential within professional and legal limits. Disclosure may be necessary where there is serious or immediate risk of harm, safeguarding concern, a legal requirement or court order, a legal claim, or a proportionate professional or regulatory requirement. Where possible and appropriate, a proposed disclosure will normally be discussed with you first.

Routine clinical supervision is part of professional practice and does not require separate consent; identifying details are minimised where practicable.

9. Clinical records and privacy

Open Mind Therapy keeps proportionate clinical and administrative records. Konfidens is the principal practice-management and clinical-record system. Adult assessment, clinical, consent and contracting records are normally retained for seven years after final client contact, subject to exceptions described in the Privacy Notice.

Recording, photographing, transcribing or streaming sessions is not permitted without prior written agreement.

10. Communication outside sessions

Communication outside sessions is normally limited to administration such as appointments, payment queries and brief practical updates. Planned clinical messaging or structured check-ins are not routinely offered unless separately agreed. Email and SMS are not suitable for emergency support or detailed therapy discussion and messages are not continuously monitored. WhatsApp is not used for client communication.

11. Online and in-person sessions

For online therapy, both parties take reasonable steps to use a private and secure setting. If the connection fails, both parties will try to reconnect and agree whether the remaining time can continue, be rearranged or credited. In-person location and arrival arrangements are confirmed separately to booked clients.

12. Crisis and emergency limits

Open Mind Therapy is not an emergency or crisis service. In an immediate emergency or where someone is in danger, call 999 or attend the nearest A&E. For urgent mental-health help that is not an emergency, use NHS 111 online or call 111 and select the mental health option.

13. Reviews and ending

Therapy may be reviewed at any time. Where possible, endings are discussed and planned. Open Mind Therapy may pause or end therapy where the work is outside competence or scope, no longer clinically suitable, cannot be delivered safely, involves persistent serious boundary breaches, or cannot continue because agreed payment terms have not been met.

14. Concerns and complaints

You are encouraged to raise a concern directly where this feels possible, in a session or by emailing info@openmindtherapy.org. You may also use BACP’s Get help with counselling concerns service or the current Professional Conduct Procedure. Nothing in this agreement removes your statutory or other legal rights.

15. Agreement and acknowledgement

The client-specific session duration, fee, frequency and format recorded in Konfidens or written confirmation form part of the contract. Electronic acceptance through Konfidens, including the recorded date and audit trail, is evidence of acceptance. Where therapy is to begin during the statutory cancellation period, the separate early-start request must also be accepted.

Current agreement version: v1.3, effective 20 August 2026.