Terms of Use

1. About these terms

These terms of use ('Terms') govern your use of the Talk Sphere website at talksphere.co.uk and the counselling services provided by Katy Bray ('Talk Sphere', 'we', 'us', 'our'). Please read them carefully.

By using this website, booking an introductory call or booking a counselling session, you confirm that you accept these Terms and agree to be bound by them. If you do not agree, please do not use our website or services.

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales and are intended to comply with applicable consumer protection legislation, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

2. About Talk Sphere

Talk Sphere is a private counselling practice operated by Katy Bray, based in Milton Keynes, England. Katy Bray is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and works within their Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Contact: katybray@talksphere.co.uk — talksphere.co.uk

3. The counselling service

Talk Sphere provides person-centred talking therapy for adults aged 18 and over. Sessions are available online via video call, by telephone, and as walk and talk sessions in outdoor settings in and around Milton Keynes.

Counselling is not a substitute for medical treatment, psychiatric care, or crisis intervention. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, are at risk of harming yourself or others, or require urgent support, please contact your GP, call 999, or contact the Samaritans (free, 24/7) on 116 123.

Talk Sphere does not provide emergency or out-of-hours crisis support. We are not able to guarantee same-day responses to communications received outside of working hours.

4. Booking an Introductory Call or a First Online Session

Before commencing counselling, I offer a 15-minute introductory call. This is arranged via Calendly or when you contact me directly and I confirm our appointment by email. This does not consititue a counselling session and does not form a contract for ongoing services.

After the introductory call, if you decide to begin counselling sessions, I will send you a contract and a contact information form. In our first session, we will discuss the contract together and agree to the terms before continuing our counselling journey. The contract is between you and myself (Katy Bray) trading as Talk Sphere. We will also complete an assessment together. We will agree the times and dates of our sessions going forward.

If you have booked a 'First Online Session' through the website, payment is required at the time of booking. Session fees are: £40 for a daytime session (9am–3pm), £45 for an evening session (6.30pm–9.30pm), or £45 for a weekend session (11am–6pm). Payment details are provided on the Calendly booking page when you select your date and time. All payments are non-refundable. Once your booking is confirmed, you will receive the link for your online session, the working agreement, and a contact information form ahead of your session start time. If booked a 'First Online Session' through the website and you need to reschedule, you may change the date and time of your first online session up to a maximum of three times. Any further rescheduling will be treated as a cancellation and the fee will remain non-refundable. If you cancel your session for any reason, the fee is also non-refundable. If full payment has not been received at least 24 hours before your session, the session will not go ahead. Your first session includes an initial assessment to explore your needs, what has brought you to counselling, and how we might work together. We will also discuss and agree our working contract. This contract is between you and myself, Katy Bray, trading as Talk Sphere.

5. Appointments and cancellations

Sessions are 50 minutes in duration unless otherwise agreed. I require 24 hours' notice of a cancellation via text or email to avoid a fee being charged. • Notice of 24 hours or more: no charge. • Notice of less than 24 hours: the full session fee is payable. • Non-attendance without contact: the full session fee is payable. (This does not apply to the First Online Session when booked through the website - please see section 4 for full details.) If a session remains unpaid more than 7 days without prior arrangement, I reserve the right to suspend further sessions until the account is cleared. Continued non-payment may result in the ending of the counselling relationship. Outstanding balances may be referred to a debt recovery service as a last resort. If you arrive late, unfortunately I will not be able to extend the session and the session will still end at the planned time, as this will affect my other appointments. If you arrive more than 25 minutes late, the session will not proceed. If you attend a session under the influence of non-prescribed medicine or alcohol, the session will be closed, and a decision will be made whether we can continue our work together.

Repeated missed appointments or persistent late cancellations may, at our discretion, result in the ending of the therapeutic relationship. We will discuss this with you before taking such action wherever possible. If I need to cancel a session, I will give you as much notice as possible and no fee will be charged. I will make a reasonable effort to offer an alternative appointment.

6. Fees and payment

Current session fees are displayed on our Fees page at talksphere.co.uk/fees. Fees are inclusive of any applicable taxes. We reserve the right to review fees periodically; any changes will be communicated to existing clients with a minimum of four weeks' notice.

Payment is due at least 24 hours before the session. If payment is not made 24 hours beforehand, we reserve the right to cancel the session and the full session fee will still apply. Payment is made by bank transfer. Outstanding fees may be pursued through appropriate legal channels if necessary.

7. Confidentiality

All information shared in sessions is held in strict confidence. Katy Bray works within the BACP Ethical Framework and receives regular clinical supervision. Supervision is conducted confidentially and without identifying clients by name.

Confidentiality may be broken only in limited circumstances: where there is a serious and credible risk of harm to you or another person; where there is a disclosure of abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult; or where required by law or court order. Where safe and appropriate, we will discuss any proposed breach with you before acting.

Please refer to our Privacy Policy at talksphere.co.uk/privacy for details of how your personal data is collected, used, and protected.

8. Website use

The content on this website is provided for general information purposes only. It does not constitute professional advice. While we take reasonable care to keep information accurate and up to date, we make no warranties — express or implied — as to its completeness, accuracy, or fitness for any particular purpose.

You may access and use this website for your own personal, non-commercial purposes. You may not reproduce, redistribute, or republish any content from this website without our prior written permission.

We are not responsible for the content of any external websites linked to from this site. Links are provided for convenience only and do not constitute an endorsement.

9. Intellectual property

All content on this website, including text, images, logos, and design, is owned by or licensed to Talk Sphere and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Nothing in these Terms grants you any rights in our intellectual property.

10. Limitation of liability

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited by English law.

Subject to the above, to the fullest extent permitted by law, Talk Sphere shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential loss or damage arising from your use of this website or our services, including loss of data, loss of income, or loss of opportunity.

If you are a consumer, you have statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 which are not affected by these Terms. For more information, visit citizensadvice.org.uk.

11. Complaints

If you have a concern or complaint about our services, please contact us in the first instance at katybray@talksphere.co.uk. We will acknowledge your complaint within five working days and aim to resolve it within 28 days.

If you remain dissatisfied, you may contact the BACP (bacp.co.uk) to raise a concern under their Professional Conduct Procedure.

12. Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or best practice. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Continued use of our website or services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

13. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from or in connection with these Terms or our services shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.