The Service Agreement

The  Service Agreement

This Service Agreement between you (the Client), your Counsellor and Prism Counselling will be valid for the duration of your counselling/life-coaching engagement with Prism Counselling.

Please read the terms and conditions of this Agreement and confirm your acceptance:

1. Confidentiality: The counselling/life-coaching session will be conducted under strict confidentiality adhering to the global code of ethics of the profession. Your counsellor/life-coach will not disclose your identity or discuss the details of your case with anyone unless certain exceptional circumstances prevail that require them to breach confidentiality as explained in the next clause. The counsellor/life-coach may or may not inform you in advance in the rare event that they need to break confidentiality.
2. Breach of confidentiality: Exceptional circumstances under which the counsellor/life-coach will need to inform a doctor, a responsible person in your family, your organisation or any other appropriate entity are:
   1. If the counsellor/life-coach believes you are at risk of seriously harming yourself, injuring someone else or at serious risk of being harmed by someone else
   2. If during the counselling session, it becomes evident that you have committed or intend to commit a crime such as robbery, child abuse, sexual abuse, murder or terrorism
3. Maintaining records: Detailed records of your sessions with your counsellor as well as any homework assignments or self-reflection tasks that you may have submitted, will be stored confidentially by your counsellor/life-coach.
4. Modes of Counselling: You can avail counselling/life-coaching through various modes: (a) in-person at the counsellor/life-coach’s office or any other appropriate mutually agreed location and/ or (b) via an audio/video online platform such as Zoom, WhatsApp, Teams, etc. You can discuss and agree with your counsellor/life-coach your preferred mode of communication, which can change from one session to another.
5. Scope of services: The types of issues Prism Counselling helps clients with are usually everyday mental health issues such as inter-personal relationships, workplace challenges, family conflict, marital discord, stress & anxiety, loneliness & depression, fears & phobias, low self-esteem or self-confidence, parenting challenges, etc. The counsellor/life-coach may choose to adopt an integrative approach incorporating different techniques of counselling, psychotherapy or life coaching with the single-minded purpose of helping you, the client, and for achieving any session goals that may have been set. Prism Counselling currently does not provide legal counselling, financial counselling, clinical counselling or psychiatric treatment. In case a client needs such specialised help, your counsellor will refer you to an appropriate professional.
6. Referral: If your counsellor/life-coach believes that a psychiatrist, doctor or some other professional would be better placed to help you, he/she will suggest a referral and will support you through the transition to another professional, as needed. If the client desires to switch to only in-person sessions and the counsellor/life-coach is unable to provide them, he/she will support you through the referral and transition process.
7. Duration of session: Each counselling/life-coaching session will be of 45-60 minutes duration. If the session is shorter than 40 minutes due to delay or any other issue at the client’s end, the full session fee will be charged. However, if the counsellor/life-coach is responsible for the shorter duration (less than 40 minutes), you can ask for a proportional refund of fee.
8. Fee structure: The fee for 45-60m counselling session is as per prevailing rates mentioned on the Prism Counselling website (https://prismcounselling.com/counselling-fees/)  or as mutually agreed with the counsellor/coach.
9. Payment: Payment is due in advance of an agreed counselling/life-coaching session and can be made as explained on the Fee Structure page on the website:  https://prismcounselling.com/counselling-fees/
10. Planned/Unplanned breaks: Your counsellor/life-coach may be on leave from time to time and if so, will give adequate notice to you. Similarly, you will need to give advance notice to your counsellor/life-coach if you need to take a break from counselling/life-coaching for a few days owing to a holiday or some other commitments, etc. If you cancel or miss a session without notice, the full session fee will have to be paid by you. If the counsellor/life-coach misses a session without prior notice to you, you will not be charged for that session.
11. Disclosure: It is always advisable to be completely honest with your counsellor/life-coach so that they can help you to the best of their abilities and you can maximise your potential benefits. In addition to full and honest disclosure, it is critical that you share the following information with your counsellor/life-coach:
    1. any past experience you may have had of counselling or therapy
    2. any medications you may be taking currently or have done in the recent past
    3. any mental health issue you may have – whether or not you have had treatment for it in the past
    4. any family history of mental health illness
    5. if you are being physically abused by someone
    6. if you fear for your safety
    7. if you have suicidal thoughts
12. Continuity: Once you have signed up for counselling/life-coaching services with Prism Counselling, you will have the same counsellor/life-coach for all your sessions so you can gain maximum benefit from their services.
13. Dissatisfaction with counsellor: If at some point you are dissatisfied with your counsellor/life-coach and would like a change, you can request for a change of counsellor/life-coach, providing clear reasons for your dissatisfaction.

I agree to the terms and conditions of this Service Agreement.

Name: ___________________________________________ 

Signature: ______________________________

Date: _____________________