Stressed? Information on the Causes and Management of Stress

1. The counsellor will act in the best interest of their clients.
2. The counselling relationship is for the benefit of the client, and the emotional well being of the client will be the paramount concern of the counsellor.
3. The number of counselling sessions will be kept to the minimum required to achieve the aims the client wants to achieve through counselling.
4. Each counsellor is obliged to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998, and to notify the client of the purpose for which Personal Data is processed.
5. Total confidentiality will be maintained, subject only to the following exceptions:
1. Disclosures with the express permission of the client.
2. Disclosures which lead the counsellor to believe that serious harm may befall a third party .
3. Disclosures that would leave the counsellor liable to civil or criminal court procedure if not disclosed.
6. Counsellors will be subject to the 'CCC' complaints procedure

NOTE: Some counsellors maintain confidence even if a client threatens self harm, but some counsellors do not. Counsellors should make it clear to their clients exactly what level of confidentiality they will hold to before the counselling relationship begins. Para 4a allows counsellors to enter into a contract with their clients prior to commencement of counselling in which these and other exemptions to absolute confidentiality can be explicitly spelt out.