Frequently asked questions

What to expect from my free consultation?

We aim to provide a free consultation to everyone who is interested in working with us.

If we are unable to answer the phone at the time that you call, we will ask you to leave a voicemail, contact number, and your availability for us to call you back. If you’d prefer, please email us with some times where you would like us to return your call. Dr Joseph Barker will call you at your preferred time if possible or we will contact you to arrange an alternative time.

During your consultation we’ll ask you to tell us a little bit about your difficulties, what support you’ve tried previously, and what you’d like to get out of working with us. We’ll give you some more information about the way we work and answer any questions you might have. We’ll discuss together if working with us sounds like the most appropriate support for you, and we will let you know if there is another service that we feel would be better able to meet your needs.

We’ll always offer you the opportunity to go away and think about whether we are the best match to work together. If you decide you would like to work with us, we’ll book a time for your first session and ask you to fill in our confidentiality agreement before your first session.  

What should I expect from therapy and how many sessions will I need?

We recognise that no two people are the same and as such, the therapy we offer is completely individualised to each person’s needs. The duration of the therapy depends on the nature and complexity of the individual’s difficulty. In the first few sessions, we work together to understand your difficulties in a way that makes sense for you. We will then identify what you’d like to achieve during our work and plan the most helpful and appropriate way to achieve your goals. Throughout your therapy, we will continuously develop a better shared understanding of your difficulties and what are the biggest priorities for you. We’ll help you learn strategies and skills to improve your quality of life in the here and now, and skills to protect yourself against similar difficulties in the future and maintain your progress independently. During therapy, we will frequently review our progress to make sure things are moving in the right direction and discuss anything that you would like to change about the work.

What information do you collect and how is this stored?

Konnect Clinical Psychology is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). In accordance with the ICO we are required to adhere to strict guidelines regarding the processing and storage of any personal information. As such, we are obligated to maintain brief records of our sessions with you, which will be stored in a secure password protected database, compliant with the ICO and British Psychological Society data storage policies.

Any information shared with us during your sessions will be kept strictly confidential unless:

1. The information you have given to your psychologist is requested by a court of law.

2. Failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at serious risk of harm.

3. Your prior approval has been obtained to a) provide a written report to another professional or agency, e.g. a GP; or b) discuss the material with another person, e.g. a parent, employer or partner.

We would ask you to provide the details of your GP who we may contact in the event of an emergency.

Are you insured?

Yes. All our Clinical Psychologists hold professional indemnity insurance as a requirement of both working with Konnect Clinical Psychology and their registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).  

What if I have to cancel a session?

We understand that circumstances can arise that may require you to cancel or reschedule your appointment. We ask that you provide at least 48 hours' notice for any cancellations or rescheduling to allow us to rebook your session for another client. If you do not provide 48 hours’ notice the full session fee will be payable. Cancellations with 48 hours’ notice will be rebooked free of charge or fully refunded.

Is therapy an allowable business expense in the UK?

HMRC have published recent guidance that psychological therapy with a Clinical Psychologist is a tax-deductible business expense under specific circumstances. The relevant HMRC guidance states that the focus of the therapy must be for stress, ill health, problems at work, bereavement, abuse, or personal relationship difficulties. As a further condition, if you employ other people, you must offer all employees an opportunity to access an equitable level of support based on similar circumstances for the cost of sessions to be tax deductible.

Therapy sessions with Konnect Clinical Psychology routinely address difficulties that fall under the international classification of diseases (ICD-11); the diagnostic framework used in the UK. For example, depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic health difficulties, insomnia, and addiction. Several examples of qualifying difficulties are specifically listed by HMRC in stress, bereavement, abuse, and problems at work. Psychological therapy and counselling for personal relationships is also allowable provided all individuals receiving support are employees, and all employees can access an equitable level of support. Therapy for dependents of employees is not normally allowable.

Counselling is not a protected term and is not regulated by a governing body with the power to regulate practitioners training, standards, or conduct (find out more here). We therefore do not advertise counselling services. We offer specialist Clinical Psychology services that are strictly regulated and incorporate specific elements of counselling approaches such as psychodynamic work but within the context of evidence-based therapies.         

Have another question?

Please contact us below or call Dr Joseph Barker for a free 15-minute consultation