1.
Does choosing a therapist from the Clinic offer any addition benefits for clients?
In addition to their own code of ethics, all clinic therapists are subject to the Clinic's own more rigorous code of ethics. This means that therapists work in a transparent and respectful way and have as their core value ‘the client’s best interests’. Our core value means that our therapists do not uphold many conventional practices such as charging for all missed sessions regardless of the reason. Clinic therapists also answer questions when this is in the client’s best interests and offer explanations about the therapy process. We also uphold the principle of informed consent and believe that it is important to discuss potential adverse reactions in therapy so that the client is fully informed.
2.
Who is the therapy for?
Therapy at the Clinic is primarily designed to assist people who need psychological help following a professional boundary violation. However, people who have had an unsatisfactory previous experience of therapy and are looking for a therapist who has a particularly strong ethical approach also use our service.
3.
How is therapy organised?
All clients begin with an in-depth assessment and a therapy plan based on individual needs.
Sessions are usually organized in blocks of eight, with a review at the fifth session although this is flexible. At present we are putting together a panel of therapists from around the country who have expertise in the effects of professional boundary violations and are supervised by the Clinic. This will mean that in the near future most clients who contact the clinic should be able to find a therapist who lives locally. The ‘Structured recovery manual’ is also available to psychotherapy clients.
4.
How much does the Clinic charge for therapy?
Our standard charge is £120 per session where third parties are paying or where fees are likely to be recovered as a result of legal action. Where legal action has begun we are able to offer clients a reduced fee subject to an agreement that the balance will be met when compensation is paid. If a legal case does not succeed the outstanding amount is not recovered.
In cases where clients are self-funding we charge according to the financial circumstances of the clients - fees will usually be considerably lower than the standard fee. As a social enterprise all profits are returned to the Clinic so as we grow we hope to be able to offer all clients who have limited finances at least one block of eight sessions for a nominal fee.
5.
Who provides the therapy?
All Clinic therapists are qualified and experienced professionals who have undertaken extra training in the dynamics of professional abuse. All of our therapists are supervised by the clinic and are subject to the BACP, HPC or GMC codes of ethics. We encourage feedback on all experiences of therapy organized by the Clinic.
6.
Why is a specialist therapy service needed?
People who have been affected by professional abuse often find it difficult to access specialist care. In part this is because it can be hard to trust another professional following an experience of professional abuse. It is also, however, because many therapists underestimate how traumatizing an experience of professional abuse can be and so do not always respond in an appropriate way. In addition, clients may experience defensive attitudes from therapists when they seek treatment and this can cause further trauma. People often report that subsequent attempts at therapy made the problem worse because the therapist `just didn't get it'. For example, some therapists refer to sexual abuse in a therapeutic relationship as ‘an affair’, as if the client is equally responsible.
7.
Can I be sure that a therapist from the Clinic won’t behave in an abusive way?
Although we do everything we can to ensure that our therapists work to the highest ethical standards nobody can ever guarantee that this will be so. All clients are therefore encouraged to contact the Managing Director or the Director of Public Support if they have any concerns about the way their therapist is practicing or the effect the therapy is having on them. If a serious complaint were to be made to the Clinic about any of our therapists we would guarantee that the Clinic’s complaints process would be quick and transparent. (Complaints Policy here) We would work to enable the complainant to have access to free independent support during the complaints process. We will always respond positively to any complaints or concerns raised, whether directly with us or through our professional memberships, such as BACP.