Terms of Counselling
These Terms of Counselling explain how counselling with Natalie Clowes works and the arrangements that apply to our work together.
The terms are designed to make sure that we both understand what to expect from counselling and the boundaries of our professional relationship.
1. About the counselling service
Natalie Clowes is a qualified Integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist providing counselling to adults aged 18 and over.
Sessions are available:
Face-to-face from a private therapy room in Shavington, Crewe
Online
Counselling is collaborative and client-led. My role is not to tell you what to do, but to provide a safe, supportive and non-judgemental space in which you can explore your experiences, thoughts and feelings.
2. Initial consultation
I offer a free 20-minute consultation for prospective clients.
This gives us an opportunity to briefly discuss what you are looking for, answer any questions and consider whether I am an appropriate counsellor for you.
The consultation does not create an ongoing counselling relationship and is not intended to provide an assessment, diagnosis or emergency support.
3. Sessions
Standard counselling sessions are 50 minutes.
The current session fees are:
£45 per session
£35 per session for students or clients receiving Universal Credit
Fees and session arrangements will be agreed before counselling begins.
Fees may be reviewed from time to time. Any changes will be discussed with you in advance.
4. Payment
Payment arrangements will be agreed before counselling begins.
Payment is expected according to the arrangements agreed between us.
If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please discuss this with me rather than allowing payment concerns to affect your ability to access support.
5. Appointments and cancellations
Regular attendance is an important part of counselling.
If you need to cancel or rearrange an appointment, please provide as much notice as possible.
My cancellation and missed-session policy will be explained and agreed with you before regular counselling begins.
Sessions missed without appropriate notice may be charged at the agreed session rate.
Where I need to cancel a session, I will provide as much notice as reasonably possible and offer an alternative appointment where appropriate.
6. Confidentiality
Counselling is confidential, and I will take reasonable steps to protect your privacy.
I will not normally share information you provide with other people or organisations without your consent.
There are some important exceptions to confidentiality, including situations involving serious risk of harm, safeguarding concerns, legal requirements or other circumstances where disclosure is necessary and permitted.
I may also discuss aspects of my work with you with my clinical supervisor. Wherever possible, identifying information will be removed.
These limitations to confidentiality will be discussed with you as part of our counselling agreement.
Protecting client confidentiality while clearly explaining its foreseeable limitations is an important part of ethical counselling practice.
7. Safeguarding and serious risk
My primary concern is the safety and wellbeing of clients and others.
If I become seriously concerned that you or another person may be at significant risk of harm, I may need to take appropriate action to help protect you or someone else.
Where possible and appropriate, I will discuss this with you before sharing information.
There may be circumstances where I cannot discuss a disclosure with you in advance, particularly where doing so could increase risk or where I am legally required to act.
8. Emergency support
Counselling with Natalie Clowes is not an emergency or crisis service.
I am not available 24 hours a day and should not be relied upon for urgent support.
If you are in immediate danger or believe that you or someone else is at immediate risk of serious harm, contact 999 or attend your nearest Accident & Emergency department.
If you need urgent mental health support but it is not an emergency, contact NHS 111 and select the mental health option where available.
9. Contact between sessions
Contact outside scheduled sessions should normally be limited to practical matters such as arranging, changing or cancelling appointments.
Email, telephone and other messages are not intended to replace counselling sessions.
I cannot guarantee an immediate response to messages.
Please do not use email, text messages or website forms to disclose information requiring an urgent response.
10. Online counselling
Online sessions require an appropriate private environment where you can speak confidentially.
You are responsible for ensuring that you have a suitable internet connection and a private space for your session.
If technical problems prevent a session from taking place, we will agree how best to proceed.
Online counselling remains subject to the same professional boundaries and confidentiality arrangements as face-to-face counselling, subject to the additional risks associated with electronic communication.
11. Boundaries
Counselling is a professional relationship.
Appropriate professional boundaries help create a safe and effective therapeutic environment.
This means that counselling will take place within the agreed session arrangements and professional relationship.
Counselling is not a friendship, social relationship or personal relationship.
12. Records
I keep appropriate records relating to counselling in accordance with professional and data protection requirements.
Records may include appointment information, contact details, relevant assessments, agreements and appropriate notes relating to counselling.
Records are kept securely and only for as long as necessary.
You have rights in relation to your personal information, as explained in the Privacy Notice.
Keeping appropriate and secure records is an important part of professional counselling practice.
13. Supervision
I undertake professional supervision as part of maintaining safe, ethical and effective practice.
Supervision may involve discussing aspects of my counselling work with a suitably qualified supervisor.
Where possible, identifying information is removed.
14. Ending counselling
Counselling may end when you feel that you have achieved what you wanted from the work, when we mutually agree that it is appropriate to end, or when continuing the work is no longer suitable.
Where possible, we will discuss the ending of counselling during a final session.
Either of us may also decide that counselling should end.
Where I believe another service or professional may be more appropriate for your needs, I will discuss this with you and, where appropriate, suggest alternative sources of support.
15. Complaints
If you have concerns about any aspect of the counselling service, I encourage you to raise them with me directly in the first instance.
I will listen to your concerns and seek to resolve them appropriately.
You may also have the right to raise concerns through any professional body or organisation to which I belong.
16. Agreement
Before counselling begins, we will discuss these arrangements and any additional terms that may be relevant to your individual circumstances.
By beginning counselling, you confirm that you have had an opportunity to ask questions about how the service operates and understand the main arrangements governing our work together.
These terms may be reviewed if circumstances change.
Last updated: October 2026