Delivery
We offer a range of ways to deliver our services that are either delivered in person, online via Zoom or by telephone.
Webcam (Zoom) and telephone appointments
- For all of our services, Monday – Saturday, at various times between 9.00 am – 9.00 pm.
- We also offer 9.00 pm and 10.00 pm appointments on Monday and Tuesday.
In the room (face-to-face) appointments
- For individuals, couples, families and Young People: Friday 9.00 am – 1.00 pm.
- For individuals and couples only: Monday 10.00 am – 4.00 pm, Tuesday 2.00 pm – 5.00 pm.
- For individuals only: Tuesday and Thursday, 10.00 am – 2.00 pm.
- For young people only: Wednesday 12.00 pm – 3.00 pm.
Costs (per session)
We may be able to offer you financial support if you are unable to pay the full cost of our services. Speak to a member of our admin team for more information.
- £55 Counselling for couples
- £55 Counselling for individuals
- £55 Young People’s Counselling (from 11 years of age)
- £60 Family Counselling
- £70 Psychosexual Therapy (sex therapy)
We also offer Couple Therapy for Depression and Family Mediation; you will be advised of the cost of these services by the therapist or the mediator.
Ask about our ‘on the day’ assessment appointments, which, if available, we can offer at a reduced fee. Please note that once the ‘on the day’ assessment appointment is booked, your payment is not refundable even if you wish to change or cancel the booking.
Please note that we operate a prepayment system. So, before we can confirm the appointment, you will need to make a payment to secure it.
Appointments
Before counselling can begin, the counsellor will gather information and assess which Relate service might be most helpful to you or if an external resource would be more appropriate. Our only aim is to ensure that clients receive the most useful resource for their current situation.
If you are attending couple counselling, the assessment process will comprise both individual and joint sessions with a practitioner. If you choose to attend the first appointment alone but then decide you would like couple counselling with your partner, then your partner would also need to book an assessment appointment.
We cannot offer ongoing counselling to any couple who decline to meet with us individually as well as jointly.
We cannot work with clients who are involved in an ongoing police enquiry or court proceedings.
Appointment times are 50 minutes, and you will be required to complete and return some paperwork prior to your first appointment.
At the end of the first assessment appointment, and if appropriate (see above), the counsellor will either offer you another appointment or they will advise that you will go on to our waiting list until we are able to offer you further appointments.
N.B. The counsellor whom you see for your first assessment appointment may not be the counsellor you see for future appointments.
Following the assessment, if you are offered ongoing counselling appointments, the appointments will be weekly and will generally be on the same day and time.
Client cancellation or non-attendance
Should you wish to cancel or reschedule, we require a minimum of 2 working days’ notice prior to the date of your appointment and within office hours (see above). Failure to do so will result in a loss of payment. If sufficient notice is given, your payment will either be transferred to another appointment or reimbursed minus a £5 admin fee.
Please note that we are unable to take calls or respond to emails on weekends or Bank Holidays. These days are not classed as working days.
Our cancellation policy is not applicable to reduced-cost or late-booking appointments.
Confidentiality
We take confidentiality seriously. We discussed this with all clients during their first appointment.
We aim to provide a caring and effective service in a safe environment. We are particularly mindful of the need to provide a professional, confidential service, and we will always take note of any instructions you may have about how we contact you. We will not reveal confidential information about you to a third party unless someone’s personal safety is at risk.
We offer a confidential service for young people and respect their right to access support and assistance independently. The boundaries of confidentiality are explained to young people using our services, which is part of Relationship Milton Keynes’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy, to ensure that whilst we support young people, we also help to keep them safe.
Relationship Milton Keynes has a team of well-trained, professional counsellors and therapists who work within the ethical framework of practice, conduct and confidentiality of the following:
- British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP)
- The College of Sexual and Relationship Therapy (COSRT)
- Association of Family Therapy (AFT)
Data Protection
Your privacy is paramount to us. We are committed to protecting your privacy online and will treat any personal information by which you can be identified (i.e. name, address, email, etc.) in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act of 2018.
We will not sell, trade or rent your information to other third parties.
We will not collect any personal information without your knowledge. This information will be collected for a known purpose that you understand and will not be used in the future for any reason other than the one for which it is being collected in the first instance.
Our Commitments
- To ensure that our services are relevant and take into account different needs.
- To provide information about services that is clear, accurate and accessible to all.
- To treat all customers positively, regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender, disability, religion or age.
- To respond seriously to and investigate complaints and feedback.