FAQ’s
We are a low cost counselling service and only charge £25 per 50 minute online session.
Each online session is 50 minutes. Sessions are held at the same time and day each week.
Counselling is a very personal experience, so you are invited to have as many online sessions as you feel you need. We ask that you give two weeks notice if you plan to stop therapy, so you and your counsellor can have a meaningful ending.
Sessions are offered for 12 weeks at a time as a commitment between you and your counsellor, which can be renewed in 12 week intervals without interruption, by mutual agreement with your therapist.
Many of our volunteers are trainees in placement with us and if they are coming to the end of their placement, they will let you know at the start of a 12 week commitment that they are unable to extend sessions after this period. If this happens, you can request to work with a new counsellor, take a break while you think about what you’d like to do, or finish therapy if you feel ready.
Our online therapy sessions are available every day. Our first session time is 8am and our last is 8pm. We are also pleased to be able to offer low cost counselling sessions over the weekend on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Once you have agreed a suitable time with your therapist, your weekly counselling sessions will take place on the same time and day of the week for the duration of each 12 week commitment, unless otherwise agreed.
We request a minimum of one week’s notice if you need to cancel a session, otherwise your normal fee will still be due. In the event of exceptional circumstances that prevent you from attending, please let your therapist know as soon as possible and confirm this to us by email: accounts@affordablecounsellingnetwork.co.uk
During your assessment, we will get to know you and develop an understanding of your counselling needs.
We allocate every client to a suitable therapist who we believe has the appropriate level of experience and availability to meet their individual counselling needs.
We appreciate how important the client/therapist relationship is, therefore, if for any reason you struggle to form a positive relationship with your therapist please contact us and we will endeavour to place you with a new therapist.
We are committed to supporting your wellbeing and development through the provision of a safe, non-judgemental space to explore your personal objectives, process and therapeutic journey.
Yes. Our therapists are bound by a code of ethics, keeping the space confidental is an important part of what we offer. The only time confidentially would be broken is if we have a legal responsibility to do so, or if we believe there is a high level of risk to yourself or somebody else. Your therapist will explain in more detail during your first counselling session together.
Our initial assessments are conducted by qualified counsellors who operate within the safeguarding requirements of our ethical framework. This allows us to ensure the best possible service for our clients and an appropriate level of experience for our trainee counsellors.
Many of our therapists are trainee counsellors on clinical placement. They practice a range of therapeutic modalities and styles and join us at different stages in their learning journey. We believe this is one of our strengths and it allows us to accommodate a broad range of clients.
Counsellors registered with a professional body must complete a minimum of 100 hours in clinical placement before they qualify – similar to student nurses and doctors. We ask our trainee counsellors to provide a ‘fit for placement’ letter from their training institute and evidence of their professional memberships.
Our counsellors must go through an interview and training process before they join the Affordable Counselling Network. They have also undertaken additional training to work effectively and safely online.
Online counselling has potential benefits including easier access to counselling and the convenience of meeting from a location of your choosing. To ensure confidentiality and comfort, you should use a private and quiet space for your online sessions where you will not be interrupted.
It is important that you are in a private, comfortable space when you meet with your counsellor. To maintain confidentiality, you must never share your online counselling session link with anyone else. If you do share your link accidentally, or your email security has been compromised, you must notify your counsellor immediately so that they can take appropriate measures to ensure your online counselling session will be private.
Your therapist will provide a meeting link to you before your session, to an online platform, often Google Meet, Zoom or Teams. You will need a computer, tablet or smartphone with a camera. You will also need a stable internet/Wi-Fi connection.
If you need guidance on how to use online meeting spaces, please ask during your initial assessment and at least 24 hours before your first session and we can send you additional instructions.
In the event of technical difficulty accessing this service, you must notify your counsellor that you are unable to join as early as possible and at the latest, 10 minutes before the start time of your session. Your counsellor will contact you by phone, as long as you have taken the appropriate steps to notify them of your technical issues before the start time of the session.
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have rights regarding your personal data, and we encourage you to contact us if you have any concerns.
We take very brief client notes after each session, typically a sentence or two. This enables us to provide you with the best possible service. All information about you is held securely in accordance with personal data storage requirements.
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact us directly:
Phone: 01892 242020
Email: hello@affordablecounsellingnetwork.co.uk
Alternatively you can send us a message via the contact form.
