Thank you for choosing Spark Hypnotherapy.
I specifically use a type of Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy called Solution Focused Hypnotherapy.
This differs from other types of treatment because it focuses on your preferred future. Clients often know what they don’t want, but rarely do they consider what they do want. My role is to guide you in identifying small, achievable changes that you want to make, which will help you achieve your preferred future.
Alternatively, working with me may help you cope better with something that you cannot change, or have no control over. For example, improving your coping abilities with the associated anxiety, fear, stress and worries that might come with a serious illness, or a difficult relationship.
With this treatment I may sometimes use elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP).
How do you know I am qualified to do my job?
I trained with The Clifton Practice (CPHT) which is a recognised Centre of Excellence for Hypnotherapy in the UK and uses the most up to date research and neuroscience in combination with the very best of Solution Focused techniques, Brain based Therapy, CBT, and NLP.
I have worked as a senior lecturer, training hypnotherapists for CPHT Liverpool, at Liverpool Hope University, since 2019.
I hold the Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma (HPD), The Practitioner Diploma in Solution Focused Hypnotherapy, The Diploma in Medical Hypnotherapy, I trained with Brief, and I am also a fully qualified Hypnotherapist Supervisor SFBT Sup (Hyp).
I have 25 years teaching experience and worked as a counsellor with the NSPCC for 7 years. As a teacher, I taught across all age ranges, from Primary through to Secondary and I also worked as a Teacher-Trainer at post graduate level.
I am a trained Mindfulness teacher (.b, Paws.b, Breathe and The Present) and a qualified Breathcoach. I run regular wellbeing workshops for North Wales Police and North Wales Fire Service.
My business is a member of, and therefore regulated by: AfSFH and the NCH.
I must adhere to their strict code of conduct and ethics, including having a recognised qualification, the right insurance, regular Continual Profession Development (CPD) training, and having regular supervisions with a regulated and qualified supervisor.
I am fully DBS checked.
What is the General Data Protection Regulations, 2018 (GDPR) and how does it affect me?
The GDPR replaces the 1998 Data Protection Act to ensure your personal and sensitive, confidential data is kept private and held securely, being processed in the way that you have agreed to. It is there to protect your rights as a consumer of a service or product that might involve your identifiable data, e.g. your name and address or whether you have a specific condition. It also covers any session records, text messages or emails we exchange.
How long will you hold my information for?
I am a member of the AfSFH, an organisation that stipulates I must hold your data for 8 years after your final session. Unless you are a child, in which case I must hold your data until your 25th birthday, unless you are 17 when treatment ends and then I must keep it until your 26th birthday.
Therefore, all records will be deleted in the January after the above retention scales. This is in line with NHS guidelines for holding data.
What if I don’t want my records to be held for that long?
Under the GDPR you can make a request in writing to me, for all your records to be deleted. In this case all your paper records would be shredded with a cross shredding machine and any electronic data such as emails or text messages would be permanently deleted from the devices they are stored on. I would have to save the request for deletion you made but would not save any other data.
Why do you need to record this information?
I collect information about; why you are using the service, a small amount of medical information and a small amount of information about your important others, alongside brief session notes. This information enables me to provide a high quality service to you, ensuring I am equipped with the knowledge of our previous discussions prior to each session.
What lengths are made to ensure my information is held securely?
Hardcopy documents – Are all stored in a locked cabinet in a locked room.
Text messages – My phone is secured with a pin code.
Emails – My email account requires a user name and password.
Email attachments – Any attachments sent by email to you containing your personal information would be password protected and the password would be sent to you via text message.
Electronic documents – Any electronic documents e.g. A letter to your GP, or an invoice, are password protected and stored on a password protected computer if they contain personal or sensitive information.
Is what we discuss kept confidential?
Everything we talk about during our sessions are strictly confidential between you and me. To ensure I am doing my job effectively and that I have the right support, I may discuss elements of our sessions with my supervisor. My supervisor also adheres to GDPR guidelines.
What if I see you outside of the session?
You are welcome to share with other people about the therapy you are receiving, but I am obliged by GDPR law to ensure your confidentiality is protected. I would request that in order to ensure the success of your treatment, that you refrain from discussing your treatment with me outside of your sessions.
What about other Health and Social Care Professionals?
As I adhere to the GDPR, any contact relating to you, with other health care professionals would only be made with your signed consent.
Exceptions:
In order to safeguard you and the people around you, if you were to disclose that you were going to carry out harm to yourself or someone else, then under my “Duty of Care” I am obliged by law to inform the relevant authorities.
If I was issued with a police warrant or court order for your information, by law I would also have to provide them with your information.
How long will each session be and how often?
Sessions are usually 50 minutes.
Sessions will usually begin weekly at first, and then over time we will – in agreement – spread them out over longer periods. Any change to this would be discussed with you in advance.
Payment is in advance at the time of booking. You can pay by card (via a payment link).
Advanced block booked sessions are non-refundable.
What if I’m running late?
Please do your best to let me know if you are running late. I run a busy practice and schedule client appointments back to back. If you are late, your appointment will still run in the allocated slot.
What if I need to rearrange my session?
I operate a busy practice, with a waiting list. Please be considerate when cancelling an appointment and where possible give at least 48 hours notice.
If less than 24 hours notice is given, the appointment fee will be charged in full.
If I need to rearrange a session I will let you know at my earliest opportunity and would hope you might approach our sessions with the same ethos. In extreme circumstances, I may choose to waiver the cancellation fee e.g. severe disruptive weather conditions.
The late cancellation fee will be waived if it is COVID related.
Therapeutic Alliance
If I am subjected to abuse by you, or by someone else acting in your interests, I may end our therapy with no notice. Our therapeutic alliance is based on mutual respect; please respect my right to a family life and be respectful of my time outside our therapy sessions.
Your commitment to these sessions is essential and if you regularly fail to attend sessions or regularly cancel and rearrange sessions, I will have a discussion with you about whether our work together is something you are committed to.
Intellectual Property
Any resources sent to you as part of our work together remains my intellectual property. You should not disclose, communicate, reproduce or distribute any materials and resources provided during delivery of our sessions or our work together.
International clients
Please note that I am based in the UK and as such I am governed by UK laws.
Please Read This Document Carefully
The frequently asked questions and related answers in this document establish the terms and conditions for treatment at Spark Hypnotherapy.
Please ensure that these terms and conditions are fully accepted by you prior to attending appointments. If you feel you would require a change to your terms and conditions, please speak with me prior to our session.