Counselling Agreement
Inside Talk Counselling & Psychotherapy Contract
Version issued: 7 January 2026
Welcome to Inside Talk.
This document sets out the agreement between you (the client) and Inside Talk Limited. Please read it carefully.
Contract for Individual Psychotherapy/Counselling
Counselling Offer
Counselling is an intentionally undertaken activity and relationship between a client and counsellor. All of our counsellors are registered with and accountable to their relevant professional bodies to ensure that you receive a high standard of service. Inside Talk is an affordable alternative to private counselling and psychotherapy, which offers 50- or 60-minute counselling sessions for single clients or couple clients respectively with your chosen or allocated counsellor. We do not impose a maximum number of sessions but do advise that you have weekly sessions if possible, to ensure the best therapeutic outcome. You are free to end the sessions whenever you choose.
Sessions
Sessions with your counsellor will be held at a mutually agreed time. The number of sessions required varies from client to client, but we aim to ensure that our counsellors will work with you for as long as you need. If for any reason your counsellor is unable to continue working with you, we will use our best endeavours to introduce you to a replacement counsellor.
Session Fees & Payment
Inside Talk uses Stripe, a secure third-party payment processor, to manage session payments.
By agreeing to this counselling agreement, you confirm that:
- You authorise Inside Talk to securely store your credit or debit card details via Stripe for the purpose of paying for therapy sessions.
- No one at Inside Talk has access to or visibility of your card details at any time. All payment information is stored and processed directly by Stripe in accordance with their security and data-protection standards.
- You agree that we may initiate payment for each scheduled session shortly before the session takes place, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
You may withdraw or cancel this payment authorisation at any time by contacting Inside Talk. Please note that cancelling payment authorisation may affect our ability to continue offering sessions.
Fees and Pricing
- Session fees will be agreed with you in advance of commencing therapy.
- Inside Talk reserves the right to review and change fees from time to time, for reasons which may include (but are not limited to) changes in VAT, inflation, operational costs, or regulatory requirements.
- We aim not to increase fees more than once in any 12-month period, and where possible, we will provide reasonable notice of any change.
Missed Sessions and Late Cancellations
- Where a session is missed or cancelled outside the agreed notice period (as set out elsewhere in this agreement), Inside Talk reserves the right to charge the full session fee using the stored payment method.
- This is in line with standard therapeutic practice and helps ensure fairness and continuity of service.
Payment Issues
Ongoing unpaid fees may result in sessions being paused until payment arrangements are resolved. If a payment fails due to insufficient funds or an expired card, we will contact you to resolve the issue.
Cancellations
We understand that life can be unpredictable and there may be times you need to cancel a session. All appointments cancelled or missed are charged in full unless three working days' notice is given. This applies to sessions missed due to illness or other reasons, except where there has been a genuine emergency (and at the discretion of your counsellor and Inside Talk's clinical lead). Therefore we request that when you make a booking with your therapist you choose a time that you can attend.
Non-payment
If for any reason we are unable to take payment for a session we will contact you. If two consecutive sessions are not paid for, we may pause your sessions. If because of personal circumstances you are unable to pay for one or more sessions, please talk to us. You will find us sympathetic, and we will try to be helpful.
Contact outside of Therapy
Should you need to contact your counsellor between sessions you may do so by phone, text or email, but we ask that you only use those conversations to book or cancel appointments.
Confidentiality & Good Practice
An important aspect of any counselling relationship is confidentiality. For therapy to be beneficial it is important that you should be able to speak openly about yourself and any difficult aspects of your life. We believe it is important that you understand the parameters of confidentiality before you start therapy. Your confidentiality will be upheld except in exceptional cases where we may be required or feel compelled to breach confidentiality. Examples would include, but are not limited to, situations where your counsellor feels you may be in imminent danger of hurting yourself or someone else, or where terrorist activity is suspected, or where we are compelled to do so by a court of law. Wherever possible we would always aim to discuss this with you before we do so.
All our counsellors subscribe to a professional code of ethics and practice and we make regular ongoing supervision available to them. On occasion your counsellor may ask if they can make an audio recording for supervision purposes only. They will always ask you if it is okay to do so, and you can decline if you prefer not to be recorded.
GDPR
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) you have the right to say what happens to the data kept by us and your counsellor. If you would like more information or to exercise any of your rights, or to complain about your therapist or the service, please make your request verbally to your counsellor or to one of our directors. Our email address is info@insidetalk.co.uk. You will receive a response within 30 days. If you believe that we have processed your information incorrectly, or without your permission, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office ( www.ico.org.uk).
Online Sessions
You agree to create an appropriate environment for your online counselling sessions, that you are responsible for your own confidentiality during those sessions and that others will be unable to overhear your session. Your counsellor will also ensure that they are working confidentially. You agree that you are responsible for your internet connection and that if your internet connection fails your counsellor will try to reconnect but if unsuccessful your session may be continued as a phone call.
Effective Date
You do not need to sign this agreement for it to become effective. It commences when you have your first or, if you are already a client, your next session with your Inside Talk counsellor and will remain in place for as long as you are a client of Inside Talk. We may update and reissue this agreement from time to time. Please let us know promptly if there is anything in this agreement (or any subsequent amendment) you disagree with, so we can discuss this with you and try to resolve any issues.
By continuing to use our counselling service, you agree to these terms.
Inside Talk Limited
Company 15000735 registered in England and Wales
Registered office: 26 Uplands, Braughing, Ware, England, SG11 2QJ
Phone: 07973 190184 & 07771 622484
Email: info@insidetalk.co.uk