Practical Info
Confidentiality
Work with minors: The concept of confidentiality can often be confusing for children and parents, especially when parents are paying for the sessions. I believe that in order for the counselling space to feel safe and to develop a trusting relationship, it is important for young people to feel in control of what they share and with whom. Each person’s story is their own. Minors may choose to share anything from their sessions with their parents or whomever they want. As a rule, however, I will not share any details of individual sessions with any other parties without the prior consent of the client in question (minor or adult). The only exception to this is if I believe there is an imminent risk to their health or safety or that of someone else, in which case I would still try to communicate with the client ahead of time, if at all possible, about why I must share something and with whom I will share it.
Parents: Parents can expect that I will be transparent with them about the approach I am taking with their child and about the practicalities of the working relationship (fees, meeting times, number of sessions planned, etc.). They can also expect that I will routinely encourage their active participation in the work with their child, and that I will encourage open and honest communication within the family unit. I will notify parents if at any point I have immediate concern for the wellbeing of their child. I will not provide any information shared in confidence unless the child has given their consent or unless I believe there is an imminent risk to their health and safety or that of someone else.
Timeline and Goals
After our first formal session, I will agree with clients on an initial timeline for the first phase of working together, typically 6 weeks. We will agree together on a goal or goals for this timeline. At the end of the initial phase, we can re-evaluate and determine whether any further sessions would be beneficial.
Session Format and Payment
I am happy to offer an initial 20 minute “get to know you” phone/video call to establish if it is a good fit for us to work together.
First sessions for individual clients will be 75 minutes to allow extra time for information gathering and establishing connection. First sessions for families are 90mins. First sessions are billed at a fixed fee of 140CHF.
Future sessions are usually 60 minutes, although they may be longer upon agreement.
Sessions are prorated at 140CHF per hour according to 15min segments.
If the finances might be an obstacle to you getting the help you need, please contact me to discuss a mutually agreeable rate.
Cancellations and rescheduling are free as long as they are communicated more than 24hours before the scheduled appointment time. If an appointment is cancelled or rescheduled less than 24 hours in advance, the client will be billed for the full session.
Invoices are sent by email after each session and can be paid:
- in cash at the end of the session
- via TWINT
- by bank transfer
Location
Sessions can be held in person at the Lausanne Therapy Space or remotely by video conferencing. In some cases, in person sessions can be held at my home office in St. Prex.
