GFrequently Asked QuestionsE
y What is the booking process for sessions?
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Submit an enquiry via the contact page - include the service you want, your availability for sessions/when the best times and days are for you, and how soon you wanted to start so that Sophie can offer you the most appropriate time slot to make arranging a session go smoother and more quickly.
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Sophie will reply to your enquiry asap and provide you with answers to any specific question you may have asked and send you the therapeutic contract for you to read through before proceeding.
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If you are happy and understand the contract, inform Sophie of how you would prefer to pay for the session (via PayPal or BACS) & send your filled in contract back. Sophie will not be able to proceed unless this is sent back completed. To do so, select "Annotate" on the PDF and "type text" and "sign" appropriately, Save and email back.
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Once your investment price and appointment are agreed, pay for your session to secure your booking.
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After your payment has been received, Sophie can send you an email receipt if requested, and she will send you the appropriate session attendance details.
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During the first session your therapy goals or aims are set in accordance with what you disclose, and your therapy journey has begun!
What is the cost of working with you? When you fill out the contact form, I will respond with the current pricing. I strive to maintain a fair policy that ensures everyone has access to high-quality therapy.
Why is payment required when booking a session? This is known as advance payment, which secures your appointment in my schedule is a common practice in the USA and other countries. I understand that life happens, and I’m never upset with clients who miss an appointment. However, just like purchasing tickets to an event, missing a session means the fee is non-refundable, regardless of the reason. Cancellations made with less than 24 hours' notice will incur the full session fee. If I am unable to conduct a session due to illness or emergencies, I will notify you as soon as possible and offer an alternative time or date.
Research indicates that this approach improves client attendance and appointment management. I have noticed that some individuals may skip sessions if they haven't set aside funds for them, leading to delays in their therapy progress. I encourage all clients, regardless of their financial situation, to commit to their appointments as it fosters personal accountability and progress. If you miss a booked session without communication, it allows me to maintain competitive pricing for my. Many therapists charge higher rates as they are self-employed and lack benefits such as sick pay and pay. Advance payment ensures that I can continue providing affordable services to those who need therapy or coaching, preventing wasted time slots that could benefit someone else. Thus, I believe advance payment is the fairest solution for both my clients and myself.
How do online sessions work? You can read more about the process in this blog post. For payments outside the UK: If you have a non-sterling bank account my bank does not charge fees for receiving or sending payments in foreign to my account. However, I cannot guarantee whether your bank will charge you for sending to a account. If you're concerned, please check with your bank. Alternatively, you can consider using PayPal.
Is the initial session at a different fee? The first session is billed at the same rate as my other sessions since it lasts as long as a full session. I find this approach more beneficial as clients often relax and want to more; a shorter session may not allow enough time for. I believe it's important to ensure clients have a good understanding of the process before we begin. I also offer a free 15-minute phone/video consultation for any questions or concerns prior to the session, especially for those who may feel about speaking with someone new.
Are you covered by any insurance companies? Yes, I am registered with Allianz Partners, WPA, Health Hero, Vitality Health, Health Assured, and Cigna, and I am on the Private Practice Register in the UK. Please verify with your Private Medical Insurance (PMI) to see if they will cover sessions with a therapist not listed on their register.
Do I need to commit to weekly sessions? Not at all. I take a person-centered approach to therapy and believe that weekly sessions aren't the only path to progress. Many individuals find that fortnightly sessions are more manageable, while others may benefit from monthly sessions, especially if they have recurring issues like PMDD. It all depends on your personal goals for therapy. If you’d like to check in and use our time as a safe space to your goals and development, then sessions every three weeks or monthly could be ideal. However, if you're experiencing significant distress, weekly appointments may provide the necessary support. We will discuss your preferences and situation during our first session to determine what works best for you.
Regarding Email Coaching/Counseling: You are welcome to discuss any topics you feel necessary, except for legal advice or medical issues best addressed by a GP or specialist. For more information about the policies and processes related to this service, please refer here. After purchasing this service, please email me your question with "Email service" and your order number in the subject line. The more specific you are with your question, the better I can tailor my response. Once I respond to your email, I won't be able to reply to further inquiries unless another email service is purchased. If you've bought multiple services, I will reply accordingly. Please remember that email packages are non-refundable unless I cannot fulfill them, in which case a full refund will be issued. By purchasing, you agree to the terms and conditions. Please allow 2-4 working days for a response. During high demand periods, I will inform you of an expected response time. It typically takes me up to an hour to thoroughly answer a detailed question.
M What about my confidentiality? I am able to offer confidentiality in line with current UK law. I do not discuss anything about a client with anyone who does not need to know for legal reasons. I would be duty bound to break confidentiality only under certain circumstances, such as if I became seriously concerned about your safety or that of another person, or if you disclose acts of terrorism (more information in the administrative contract). Wherever possible, I would consult with you first to obtain your consent. Please view exceptions to the duty of confidentiality here for more comprehensive information. In line with good practice, counsellors and psychotherapists need to discuss our work with another practitioner (a supervisor) for purposes of development and evaluation but I take care not to use identifying information about clients. My Supervisor is also registered with and held by the standards of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (our professions acting governing body).
Regarding online: you may unintentionally compromise your confidentiality just through the normal risks of technology, such as, someone else having your email or phone passwords, having emails downloaded to your phone and then having auto log-ins enabled on apps and browsers. I am not responsible and will not take any responsibility for user end confidentiality, the onus there is on you to ensure your data is secure.
y Why do you have limited availability? If you want to see a dentist of doctor, you do not expect to be seen on the weekend or late into the evening. You make yourself available to attend these appointments, whether in your lunch break or making the time up elsewhere in the week. In rare circumstances I can sometimes make availability outside of the 9am-5pm working model, however, If I do that for every client, I would not be able to help as many people and my own wellbeing and that of those who I am responsible to, would suffer. Which would not make me the fantastic therapist that I am able to be!
How can I find the therapy that suits me best? Research consistently indicates that the most effective talking therapies occur when there is a strong working relationship between the client and therapist. This rapport allows the techniques to be most effective, making it crucial to find the right therapist for you. If we don't seem to be the right fit, I'm happy to refer you to someone else if you'd like.
K How many sessions can I have? As many as you need. A benefit to private therapy/mentoring/coaching is there is no time limit to sessions so essentially, you can have as many as you need to and go at your own pace, until you feel you do not need them anymore. Because I value the benefits to long-term work and the professional relationship that is built over time, I offer repeat clients discounts and payment plans at their request, so that they are better able to manage their finances and not have payments for sessions as a concern, freeing them to the long-term work we can do together.
L When will therapy end? We are likely to feel when our work is approaching an end and we will discuss this so that the end is managed properly and all things are wrapped up for you. It could also be the case that we agree a specific goal for you to attain and reaching that may mean the sessions will come to a close.
E Can I contact you outside of my session? That's a really good question. Please do so to check the appointment date and time or rearrange a session as per the contract via email or text. I do not respond to clients outside of sessions as you are paying for a treatment session which is carried out. Contact outside of sessions is furthering treatment and that is not fair on other clients or me as I wouldn't have time for other things. Please respect that you have a session which is your time with the therapist and there can be no treatment outside of the session.
If in emergency, Contact a helpline near you if in need, Search "mental health crisis line" in your web browser, or call 111 (UK).
What Clients Say
Sophie exceeded my expectations. This should be a longer list but I will keep it concise. The first, best thing about this particular service was that it was extremely well catered to my specific needs. Other services often feel like they have a "syllabus" they are adhering to and while it probably started on well trodden ground for Sophie, she patiently followed me on every tangent, no matter where I deviated, she helped me ask myself the right questions and get to what was important. The second thing I feel needs to be mentioned regards the atmosphere in general. I was never pushed too hard nor was I coddled. On some of my lower days I would feel somewhat hopeless in my inability to pull myself together which has, with previous therapists, led the dynamic to shift to either overt sympathy or cold professionalism. Sophie always gave me the right amount of space and respect so that I always felt like I was talking to an equal instead of an authority.
— A.C.
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