The following is provided as information about some of the boundaries and guidelines around our
work together. Your coming to see me for therapy is taken as your informed consent to therapy and
as your agreement to the following.
Sessions
Your sessions are weekly at the same time, on the same day. Exceptions may be made if agreed in
advance and for extenuating circumstances; however, normally the time and day do not vary.
For couples therapy, sessions begin when everyone is present.
Video Sessions
I offer sessions online via Zoom. I will email you a link to the session that will provide a password for
entering the session. These sessions are not recorded.
As with in-person sessions, video sessions are confidential; but since I’m not providing a private
room for us, video sessions require that you ensure you are in a private space where you feel
comfortable and that you have a good internet connection and virus protection. I recommend using
headphones, having tissues, something to drink, and anything else you feel would provide you with
comfort and security during your sessions. Technology can fail and we’ll both be relying on it but if
we lose connection, I’ll endeavour to reconnect with you. If I cannot re-establish a connection
online, I’ll either phone or email you to rearrange.
Cancelling Sessions
Although things do come up unexpectedly, we each agree to do our best to give at least 24-hours’
notice when cancelling a session. You can cancel a session by phone, text, or email.
Arriving Late
I’ll wait no more than minutes for you to arrive for your session after which I’ll assume you’re not
coming and we’ll need to be in touch with each other to re-arrange. If you know you’re going to be
late, it’s best to send me an email to let me know.
If you’re late for a session, the session ends at the usual time.
Communication
We don’t have social contact outside of our sessions. And I don’t offer support over the phone or via
text between sessions. But if you need to reach me to cancel or rearrange a session, you are
welcome to call, text, or email and I will respond to you. To communicate with you, I’ll email you
using the email you used to initially contact me. If you ever wish for me to use a different way of
contacting you, please let me know.
My email is therapy@drmiazielinska.com. My mobile number is 07722734854.
For couples therapy, emails need to include everyone involved in the therapy.
Payment
Full session payment is required within 24 hours of your session.
The full fee is required for sessions cancelled with fewer than 24 hours’ notice.
You’re welcome to pay by card or cash. With video sessions, payments are accepted only by BACS. I
email my BACS details to you separately.
How I Work
I work relationally and from a psychodynamic framework. I explore your experiences, feelings, and
unconscious processes. I help you think about how these impact on your ways of relating to others
and to yourself; I don’t take a position of authority on your life or on what’s right or wrong, so while I
may challenge you at times, I take your lead and believe in you as the ultimate expert on yourself.
How Long It Takes
How long we work together will depend on your needs. It’s my aim to help you and not keep you in
therapy longer than you need; it’s also my aim to give you the time you need and not rush you
along. Although I don’t have a definitive answer for ‘how long’, I can say definitively that I don’t have
a minimum or maximum and that we’ll work together by reflecting on how you’re feeling along the
way which will guide us in knowing when you’re ready to finish.
Ending Therapy
I encourage you to let me know when you’re thinking about ending if we haven’t already discussed
it. Even just a few sessions’ notice helps us have time to reflect on your therapeutic journey and
gives us time to feel the ending, which can bring up other endings you may have experienced in the
past. This kind of planned ending can have a different feel to abruptly ending or leaving without
saying goodbye – and it can be challenging to do. I’d invite you to try it, especially if it feels
uncomfortable just thinking about it!
Confidentiality
Our sessions are confidential. I have a clinical supervisor with whom I discuss my work; however,
that space is also confidential and in that supervision space I don’t use identifiable information such
as your name.
There are limits to confidentiality such as when I am bound by law to disclose to the police if you are
engaged in illegal activities such as terrorism or drug trafficking. I may be compelled by a court of
law to disclose my notes. I am also obliged to disclose if you or someone you know is at risk of harm.
If I am ever concerned about you or someone else, I will attempt to discuss this with you first and in
any case, it would be my preference that you speak with a third party rather than my doing that
about you.
Record Keeping
I keep brief, factual notes about our sessions for my use only. These are kept in a locked cabinet to
which only I have the key. I keep these notes for five years after the end of our work together, after
which I shred them.
Professional Will
Similar to a Last Will and Testament, I have a professional will in the event that I am ever seriously ill
or I unexpectedly die. This means that I have identified a colleague I trust to make contact with you
to let you know if something has happened to me; she will support you in finding a new therapist or
with keeping you informed about my health and return to work. She will also, if needed and in
accordance with the law, manage the disposition of whatever files or data I have. She does not have
your name now; she only gains access to this information if something happens to me.
Complaints
Sometimes therapists and clients get annoyed with each other. It’s natural. It’s my hope that you can
let me know if you’re ever angry with or feeling disappointed by me so we can talk – such feelings
can be opportunities to work through something and come out the other end feeling better
understood. However, you always have the right to complain about unethical behaviour and that
applies to me and any therapist you may work with.
I belong to the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapists (BACP), which means I adhere
to their ethical framework. The BACP hears complaints. You can find out more about what
complaints they handle and how to make a complaint at https://www.bacp.co.uk/aboutus/protecting-the-public/professional-conduct/how-to-complain-about-a-bacp-member/.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to let me know.