Counselling Session & Registration Fee

Description

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

This product is for new clients only

If you have seen a Hope Therapy counsellor before and are returning to counselling, please book using our standard individual counselling session product at £65. This product is specifically for people who have not previously been a client with us and are booking their first session.

What the registration fee covers

The one-off registration fee of £10 is added to your first session only. It is not a deposit, a booking fee, or a charge for the consultation you may already have had. It covers the real administrative work involved in bringing you on as a new client, which happens before your first session begins and is carried out by your therapist and our team on your behalf.

Specifically, it covers:

• Setting up your client record and secure confidential file
• Preparing, sending out, and processing your initial client agreement (where necessary)
• Collecting and recording your consent to the terms under which counselling will take place (where necessary)
• The therapist matching process — reviewing what you have told us and identifying the right counsellor for your situation, preferences, and needs

This work takes time and care. It also ensures that from the moment your first session begins, everything is in place — your therapist knows enough about you to start well, your agreement is clear, and your confidentiality is properly established. The £10 registration fee exists to reflect that honestly rather than absorbing it invisibly into the session cost.

After your first session, all subsequent sessions are billed at the standard rate of £65 with no additional fees.

What happens in a session

Your counsellor will listen — without judgement, without rushing you, and without an agenda beyond understanding what you’re going through. Sessions are led by you. There’s no pressure to cover everything at once, and no expectation that you’ll arrive with neat answers to difficult questions.

Over time, and at a pace that feels right for you, individual counselling can offer a space to explore what’s underneath what you’re experiencing — and to find ways of responding to it differently.

Your therapist

Hope Therapy counsellors are qualified professionals holding registration with an appropriate professional body — BACP, NCPS, or equivalent. When we match you with a counsellor, we take into account what you’ve told us about your situation, your preferences, and the kind of support you’re looking for. If the match doesn’t feel right, we’ll find someone who does — at no extra cost.

On occasion, we work with trainee counsellors who are completing a supervised clinical placement as part of their professional training. Trainee counsellors are not yet fully qualified, but they work under close, regular supervision from an experienced, qualified practitioner, and their practice is conducted in full accordance with the NCPS Code of Ethics and ethical framework. If you are offered a session with a trainee counsellor, this will always be discussed with you in advance and your agreement sought before any sessions begin. You are under no obligation to accept, and a qualified counsellor will always be available as an alternative.

How sessions are delivered

Sessions are available online via a secure video platform or face-to-face, subject to therapist availability and your location. Face-to-face availability varies by area — this will be confirmed when your therapist is matched to you.

Confidentiality

Everything discussed in your counselling sessions is confidential. There are limited circumstances where this may need to change — for example, if there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else — and your counsellor will explain these clearly before your sessions begin, in line with professional ethical standards. All counsellors, including trainees on placement, discuss their casework in clinical supervision as a professional requirement. This is carried out without identifying clients and is a normal, expected part of safe and ethical practice.

Not sure yet?

If you haven’t already spoken with us, we’d encourage you to book a free 15-minute consultation before purchasing. It’s an informal conversation — no commitment, no pressure — just a chance to ask questions and get a sense of whether we’re the right fit for you. If you’ve already had your consultation and you’re ready to go, you’re in the right place.

A note on what counselling is

Counselling is not a quick fix, and we won’t pretend otherwise. It’s a professional relationship in which a counsellor works alongside you — listening carefully, asking the right questions, and helping you make sense of things that may have felt confusing or stuck for a long time. Many people find that counselling makes a meaningful difference. What that difference looks like will be particular to you.