UPDATED: 13TH SEPTEMBER 2021
Members resident in the Republic of Ireland can receive free counselling for up to 6 sessions.
Members not residing in Ireland will be asked to pay a session fee of €30/£25.
Counselling Requirements:
In order to take part in sessions, a member will need to confirm the following details:
- that You are NOT currently considering taking your own life.
- that you are willing to attend your counselling sessions once weekly for up to eight weeks or for as long as you wish to avail of the sessions.
- that you are willing to attend these sessions at the times agreed with your assigned counsellor from week-to-week, giving no less than 24 hours notice and rescheduling your sessions if you must change times for good reason.
- that you are willing to fill out a questionnaire before, during and after you take part in your course of counselling sessions. (This will involve answering a number of questions about your coping, distress and how you experienced the counselling and counsellor, i.e. a Satisfaction Survey).
- that you are willing to confirm the consent item below.
CLIENT INFORMATION
We collect details regarding your current healthcare provider purely for the purposes of being able — were there an emergency — to contact an appropriately qualified professional if we concluded that your personal safety was severely at risk. Outside of this instance, no contact would be made without your express permission. Identifying details regarding you or your life will not be disclosed to any third party save in cases of Child Protection issues or disclosure to cause harm to self/others. In keeping with standard practice, Client data will be securely retained per our Clinical Data Retention Policy in our Terms of Use
Clients are asked to provide the following information:
Name
Date of Birth
turn2me Username
Current Postal Address
Telephone Number
Next of Kin & Contact details
Name of GP or other healthcare provider
Service telephone number of person named above
Service Address of person named above
Diagnosis (if any)
Medication (if any)
Previous counselling (if any)COUNSELLING CONSENT FORM
This form is issued to gain your informed consent for the sessions provided within our one-to-one online counselling service. It is important that you understand the service provided to you, the cost involved (if applicable), and what is done with the personal information shared by you. If you have a question on any of this, please ask.
Sessions and the information discussed in them are confidential. That is, the contents of a session will not be revealed to outside sources unless you have given written permission to do so, or as required by law. Instances in which confidential information may be disclosed without your permission (although preferably with it) are as follows:
- If you are in, or appear to be in, imminent danger of doing serious harm to yourself or another person, turn2me is legally and ethically bound to intervene (e.g. to escalate to the police/emergency services).
- If turn2me has a reasonable suspicion based on your report that you or anyone else may become, or have already been, a victim of physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse by anyone, especially where such may suggest ongoing risk of harm to a minor (e.g. escalate to police/Child Protection Services).
- If you reveal that you have been abused by another helping service professional (e.g. physician, psychologist, nurse, chiropractor, dentist, etc.).
WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
Sometimes clients experience an emotional crisis that requires immediate attention. turn2me is not a Crisis Intervention Service. The appropriate services should be contacted without delay.
You should be aware that online counselling may not be suitable in times of immediate crisis and may not be immediately available. You may choose to book an online counselling session if you deem that you are not at immediate risk of harm to yourself or others.
If you feel you cannot wait and need immediate attention, or if it is outside working hours, you should contact your GP or go to the Emergency Department of your nearest hospital.
Other available supports can be sourced through:
* In Ireland: Free Call Samaritans 24-Hour 116 123 (and Northern Ireland)
* In the UK: Free Call Samaritans 24-Hour 116 123
* You can also email the Samaritans at Jo@Samaritans.ie (Ireland) Jo@Samaritans.org (UK/NI)
* In the US: Free Call National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-TALK (1800-273-8255)
PAYMENT FOR SESSIONS
With partnership from the HSE, up to 6 sessions are free to residents in the Republic of Ireland.
For outside of Ireland, sessions cost €30 /£25 for 50 minutes of online counselling. This money is used only to pay for the cost of counsellors’ services and is not used for profit of any kind. In circumstances whereby a person simply cannot afford to pay, it may be possible to place that person’s name on a waiting list for a limited number of free sessions subject to funding.
Online Counselling sessions cannot be provided by turn2me for residents of North America and Canada, due to jurisdictional restrictions and professional indemnity insurance provisions.
ETHICS
All our Counsellors are registered with their disciplines accrediting body and are bound by their Code of ethics. A copy of this code is available upon request.
ONLINE INFORMATION AND PRIVACY
Sessions are conducted through instant messaging (IM)/text chat or through video within the turn2me website or by email using password protected and encrypted @turn2me.org email accounts. It is important, if you are not the only user of your computer, that you use a computer and internet system that is password protected. turn2me is not responsible for any information on your computer system that is left open to viewing by other people or is not password protected. Please also be aware that technology cannot always be completely reliable and that, should a fault or loss of contact occur during a session, the Counsellor will attempt to regain contact with you as soon as possible but cannot guarantee this.
CONSENT FOR PERSONAL INFORMATION
In addition to indicating your informed consent to participate and to receive services, inserting your name in the form and submitting it to turn2me indicates you understand that in providing online counselling services:
* Your Counsellor and turn2me will collect some personal information about you (e.g. reasons for seeking services, address, phone number, family information, etc.) and this information will be stored securely by turn2me.
* Completing and submitting the Consent Form indicates you have reviewed this document about the collection, use and disclosure of personal information, steps taken to protect the information, and your right to review your personal information.
* You understand how the protection of information and privacy applies to you. You have been given a chance to ask any questions you have about the online counselling service and they have been answered to your satisfaction.
* You understand that, as explained above, there are some specific exceptions to the confidentiality terms concerning online counselling sessions.
