Disclaimer
Disclaimer
Please be aware that Counselling or Psychotherapy are not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other health care professionals. Always check with your doctor if you have any concerns about your condition or treatment. Clients are responsible for assessing the outcome of their therapy.
Please note that talking therapies are not intended to replace conventional medical treatment and care. Nor are they intended to replace formal diagnosis and treatment by a qualified medical practitioner.
Talking therapies may give information or guidance that could bring about positive change and such information or guidance is given for the client to consider. Although the therapist will be supportive and helpful as possible in all decision making and change processes, any resulting choices and changes made by the client do remain the personal and legal responsibility of the client.
For Online Counselling, the platforms used are secure at the time of working with the client, technology is fallible and there is a small possibility that confidentiality maybe compromised by a 3rd party (Zoom).
Confidentiality
Confidentiality
Online counselling therapy takes place within a secure, encrypted environment to offer you confidentiality and safety. Telephone and webcam counselling take advantage of the encrypted services offered by Zoom and your counsellor will guide you through setting up a free account for your therapy.
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
The therapy work provided by Your Life Matters and Nora Allali-Carling is governed by the laws and ethical guidelines in force in England and Wales at the time of provision.
GDPR
GDPR
You may request details of personal information which Your Life Matters Counselling holds about you under the Data Protection Act 1998 and General Data Protection Regulation 2016. If you would like a copy of the information held on you, please email ylmcounsellingandpsychotherapy@gmail.com with the header Subject Access Request, and this information will be provided to you within one month of the request being received.
Records are kept for 5 years after termination of therapy and then destroyed. You may apply to have your details amended (change of name and address) at any time.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998 and General Data Protection Regulation 2016, you can request that your data be erased. However, there are exceptions to this right. In particular, in the case of counselling records, insurance companies and ethical and professional bodies ask that records remain available for a minimum of five years, as outlined above.
Technology and counselling
Technology and counselling
Online & Telephone Counselling
Online counselling therapy is a way for you to engage in counselling using internet technology such as email, online chat, telephone or webcam video. You direct your counselling by selecting the method of communication you feel most comfortable with. You choose the time, the place and the pace of your counselling to suit your needs. Every effort is made to provide a safe and secure environment for your online therapy with encryption software to protect your confidentiality and security.
Webcam Counselling
Zoom is a way for you to see your counsellor face-to-face from your computer whilst engaging in therapy. You will be guided through setting up your own encrypted Zoom account and you will meet your counsellor on Zoom at a time that you have previously arranged. Sessions are 50 minutes in length. Being able to see your counsellor gives you more of the benefits you get from face-to-face counselling but with the convenience of online therapy. By talking you hear tone of voice which is a way to convey empathy and with video you see nonverbal communications such as facial expressions.
Email counselling
Counselling using email offers you the opportunity to consider what you wish to say before you send it as well as time between exchanges to reflect on the information you have received. You will be guided in how to set up a secure email account and will then have a set amount of email contacts with your counsellor. Email counselling is also sometimes used in between more structured sessions such as online chat, telephone or webcam counselling. A consideration of email counselling is the time delay between your mail and the return mail and this makes email counselling less effective when urgency is a priority.
Telephone counselling
This is similar to webcam counselling as it happens through the Zoom system, or via a handset, but without the visual aspects. You can choose to remain anonymous and the conversation is encrypted if held on Zoom or WhatsApp. An advantage of telephone counselling is that non-verbal communication can be carried in your tone of voice or the pace of speech which can be picked up by your counsellor. A disadvantage of telephone counselling is that you need a private room/ space where you will not be overheard.
Online counselling offers certain benefits but there are also limitations that are worth bearing in mind when deciding which type of therapy will best suit your needs.
Benefits
• Counselling therapy from your own home at a time that suits you
• Secure encryption software offers confidentiality and peace of mind
• No chance that you may be seen entering the Counsellor’s practice
• When using email or online chat, you are able to review what you are saying before sending
• Therapy at a time, place and pace that suits you
• Some find it easier to express their feelings by writing it down or talking
• Flexibility to choose the technology you feel is best for you: telephone, email, live chat or webcam
Things to consider
• Are you comfortable using telephone/ internet technology?
• Do you feel you can express your feelings effectively using words?
• Is there a computer / device that you can use privately without interruption?
Confidentiality
Online counselling therapy takes place within a secure, encrypted environment to offer you confidentiality and safety. Telephone and webcam counselling take advantage of the encrypted services offered by Zoom and your counsellor will guide you through setting up a free account for your therapy.