In therapy, both the Client and the Therapist have rights and responsibilities. It may be helpful for you to read these before we start working together and clarify any concerns that you may have about the therapeutic process.

Your Client Rights:
1. A right to dignity as an individual. You have the right to equal consideration and treatment, regardless of gender, background, beliefs, age or sexual preference.
2. To be provided with professional and respectful care by your therapist.
3. To be accepted as you are, and to be listened to in a non-judgemental manner.
4. To know your therapist’s assessment of the issue that you are presenting with.
5. Confidentiality within therapy.
Confidentiality is only broken when: the client gives consent for confidence to be broken; where the therapist is compelled by the court of law; or where the information is of such gravity that confidentiality cannot be maintained’ i.e. in cases of fraud, crime, terrorism and/or where there is a case of actual or potential serious physical harm to self or others.

Your Client Responsibilities:
1. To be honest, open and willing to share your concerns with your therapist.
2. To ask questions when you don’t understand or need clarification.
3. To be prompt and keep appointments.
4. To be responsible for your own thoughts, feelings, actions and personal growth. Your therapist’s role is to help you to help yourself to the best of your abilities.
5. Not to consume alcohol or take non-prescription drugs prior to sessions.

Therapist Responsibilities:
- As your Therapist I am bound by the Code of Ethics set out by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy and I will adhere to their guidelines.
- I may discuss your case with the Parachute Practice supervisor to ensure safe and ethical practice. Your identity will be protected, unless I am required to break confidentiality for the reasons listed above.

Therapy Sessions:
- Sessions are up to 1 hour and will be weekly at your assigned date and time.
- Number of therapy sessions will be discussed and agreed upon by the client and therapist mutually at the first session.
- Payment is required prior to booking each session.

Cancellations
- if you have to cancel, a 48-hour notice must be given to your therapist
You will be offered a refund and a new appointment. Exceptional circumstances will of course be taken into consideration.
- Cancellations within 48 hours will not be refunded.
- Your therapist will also give at least 48 hours cancellation notice.
To cancel an appointment email: info@parachutepractice.org

No Show Policy
- Failure to attend 2 consecutive sessions and without contact, will result in a withdrawal from the Parachute Practice service.

Ending Therapy:
- If you feel that you want to end therapy earlier, it is important that you inform your therapist about this first. To notify the practice, please email: info@parachutepractice.org

Complaints:
- If you have a complaint about therapy, this should be directed to Parachute Practice and each complaint will be followed up thoroughly. For any issues or complaints, please email: info@parachutepractice.org

Parachute Practice needs to collect and use certain types of information about the Individuals or Service Users who come into contact with Parachute Practice in order to carry on our work. This personal information must be collected and dealt with appropriately whether is collected on paper, stored in a computer database, or recorded on other material and there are safeguards to ensure this under the Data Protection Act 2018.

Disclosure
Parachute Practice may share data with other agencies such as the local authority, funding bodies and other voluntary agencies. The Service User will be made aware in most circumstances how and with whom their information will be shared. There are circumstances where the law allows Parachute Practice to disclose data (including sensitive data) without the data individual’s consent.
These are:
a) Carrying out a legal duty or as authorised by the Secretary of State
b) Protecting vital interests of an Individual/Service User or other person
c) The Individual/Service User has already made the information public
d) Conducting any legal proceedings, obtaining legal advice or defending any legal rights
e) Monitoring for equal opportunities purposes – i.e. race, disability or religion
f) Providing a confidential service where the Individual/Service User’s consent cannot be obtained or where it is reasonable to proceed without consent: e.g. where we would wish to avoid forcing stressed or ill Individuals/Service Users to provide consent signatures.

Parachute Practice regards the lawful and correct treatment of personal information as very important to successful working, and to maintaining the confidence of those with whom we deal.
To this end, Parachute Practice will adhere to the Principles of Data Protection, as detailed in the Data Protection Act 2018.
Specifically, the Principles require that personal information:
a) Shall be processed fairly and lawfully and, in particular, shall not be processed unless specific conditions are met,
b) Shall be obtained only for one or more of the purposes specified in the Act, and shall not be processed in any manner incompatible with that purpose or those purposes,
c) Shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to those purpose(s)
d) Shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date,
e) Shall be processed in accordance with the rights of data subjects under the Act,
f) Shall be kept secure by the Data Controller who takes appropriate technical and other measures to prevent unauthorised or unlawful processing or accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal information,
g) Shall not be transferred to a country or territory outside the European Economic Area unless that country or territory ensures an adequate level of protection for the rights and freedoms of Individuals/Service Users in relation to the processing of personal information.

Parachute Practice will, through appropriate management and strict application of criteria and controls:
• Observe fully conditions regarding the fair collection and use of information
• Meet its legal obligations to specify the purposes for which information is used
• Collect and process appropriate information, and only to the extent that it is needed to fulfill its operational needs or to comply with any legal requirements.
• Ensure the quality of information used.
• Ensure that the rights of people about whom information is held, can be fully exercised under the Act. These include:
o The right to be informed that processing is being undertaken,
o The right of access to one’s personal information
o The right to prevent processing in certain circumstances and
o The right to correct, rectify, block or erase information which is regarded as wrong information)
• Take appropriate technical and organisational security measures to safeguard personal information
• Ensure that personal information is not transferred abroad without suitable safeguards
• Treat people justly and fairly whatever their age, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation or ethnicity when dealing with requests for information
• Set out clear procedures for responding to requests for information

Parachute Practice is NOT an emergency mental health service. If you are in an emergency crisis, in need of suicide prevention or deem yourself or others to be in immediate danger, please call 999. If you are thinking of harming yourself, someone else or perhaps feel like you are losing control, you must please call NHS 111 or dial 999 for emergency services.

Parachute Practice specifically disclaims any and all liability for any claims or damages that may result from providing the website or the information it contains, including any websites maintained by linked third parties.

- Although Parachute Practice uses high quality web servers, firewalls, and payment security, we cannot guarantee, nor be held responsible for a compromise of information (email or staff accounts). Parachute Practice holds strict confidentiality of all information from its clients, as specified in the client-therapist contract and data protection agreement.

- If you will be seeking online or face to face professional services with Parachute Practice: you will not misrepresent your identity and you hereby state and warrant that you are 18 years of age or older and a UK Resident. You understand that online and telephone therapy/counselling is not a replacement for clinical face to face counselling. Therefore, Parachute Practice cannot be held responsible for any actions of its’ clients.

- If you have are a resident outside of the United Kingdom, you acknowledge that this is an agreement complying with the law and jurisdiction within the United Kingdom.

By agreeing, you (the Client) indemnifies and holds harmless Parachute Practice, its’ staff, therapists, counsellors, volunteers and any representatives therein. By agreeing, you are indicating that you have read and understood all of the foregoing “Disclaimer”, you find the terms and conditions stated therein to be fair and reasonable, and agree to abide by all terms and conditions stated therein.