CLIENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Please read these terms and conditions, which apply to the provision of my professional services under the name of Sarah Mason & Altered Tides. By making an appointment, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions. If you are unable or unwilling to agree to these terms and conditions, then you should not book an appointment or continue with your course of therapy.
FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION
You may be offered a free 30-minute online initial consultation. No therapy will be provided during the consultation.
The purpose of this initial consultation is to have an informal chat, answer any questions, and establish whether we want to work together. There is no charge for this call and no pressure to book a hypnotherapy session. During these calls, estimates of the number of sessions required to deal with your presenting issue are given on the basis of the information presented at that time. Estimates are only rough guidelines and are subject to change.
BOOKING & PAYMENT
The full payment must be made before the 1:1 intake session.
CANCELLATION, RESCHEDULING & REFUNDS
If you need to cancel or reschedule a session, please provide as much notice as possible. Notification must be made via email or phone call at least 48 hours prior to a session.
Refunds
No refunds will be issued for cancellations within 48 hours of a session.
Session fees are for our therapist's time and professional expertise and are not a guarantee of a successful outcome. Therefore, no refunds will be given for any sessions that you have attended and paid for.
Where a discount package or therapy programme has been booked and paid for in advance, if you choose to discontinue your therapy process before attending all the sessions, a pro rata refund will be issued after deduction of the full standard session fee for any sessions you have attended.
Session Fees
All professional fees will be disclosed to you before booking. Sarah Mason & Altered Tides' professional fees are subject to review and may increase from time to time. You will always receive confirmation of the professional fees before booking.
Payment Methods
Payment should be made by bank transfer or via the payment link provided.
CONTACT BETWEEN SESSIONS
Any contact between sessions will be by messaging app, email, or telephone. I will endeavour to reply to messages within 24 hours of receipt.
WHATSAPP SUPPORT (PROGRAMME CLIENTS ONLY)
Where WhatsApp support is included as part of a programme, this support is offered on a message-based, non–real-time basis. This means:
WhatsApp support is intended for brief check-ins, short updates, or simple questions, rather than ongoing conversations or therapeutic processing via text.
I will aim to respond to WhatsApp messages within 24 hours, Monday to Friday. Messages sent at weekends or on bank holidays will be replied to on the next working day.
Clients may send occasional messages between sessions. Frequent messaging, lengthy written messages, or long voice notes fall outside the scope of this support.
If a message indicates that a topic requires deeper exploration, it will be addressed during your next scheduled session rather than via WhatsApp.
WhatsApp must not be used for urgent matters or emergencies. If you are in immediate distress or feel at risk, please contact emergency services or an appropriate crisis-support resource.
MEDICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
I may ask questions about your medical history to establish any contraindications to treatment. This will also help to assess whether your health is affecting (or being affected by) the therapeutic goals you wish to achieve. Please update me on any medical changes during your course of therapy, or if you are returning to therapy after a period of absence.
If you are receiving care or treatment from any medical, healthcare or therapy practitioner, e.g. GP, Psychologist, Psychiatrist or Counsellor, you may be asked to seek their permission before any therapy sessions can commence.
Please note that we will be unable to offer any professional services if you suffer from epilepsy, schizophrenia, or any form of psychosis.
AGE RESTRICTIONS
You must be at least 18 years old to participate in online sessions. Clients under the age of 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and will be seen in-person.
ATTENDING YOUR SESSIONS
Please ensure that you are available at your session start time. If you are running late, please let us know as soon as possible. We will do our best to make a full session available; however, as the ability to do this will depend on bookings after your session, this cannot be guaranteed.
HYPNOTHERAPY RECORDINGS
Hypnotherapy recordings should not be listened to whilst driving, operating machinery, or undertaking any other activity where concentration is required. Any recording provided is for your personal use only and must not be shared, lent, copied, or sold under any circumstances.
OUTCOME OF SESSIONS
The agreement to work on the issues presented by you in no way implies or guarantees the resolution of your presenting issue(s). No outcome can or will be guaranteed. However, we will always endeavour to use our best efforts and skills to work towards your goals and intended outcomes.
STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR
During the course of any therapy sessions, we will treat you with respect and not abuse the trust you place in us. We will use best practices at all times in our mutual interest. In return, you undertake not to harm yourself, or any other person, including us, or any property belonging to either us or any other person.
You agree not to attend sessions under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs, except for those medications that have been prescribed by your doctor. If you do attend any sessions under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs, or demonstrate violent or abusive behaviour, we will cancel the session and may refuse to see you for any further sessions without refunding any payment already made.
CONFIDENTIALITY
All contact, including sessions, telephone conversations, and emails, will be conducted in confidence and may be recorded. Before any recording, your agreement will be sought. All recordings, conversations, and notes will remain confidential, except in the following circumstances:
1. Where you give permission for confidentiality to be broken
2. Where we are compelled by a court of law
3. Where the information is of a nature that confidentiality cannot be maintained, for example:
• The possibility of harm to yourself or others exists
• In cases of fraud or crime
• When minors (under 18 years old) are involved
4. Where a referring GP or other healthcare professional requires a report. A copy of the report will be available on request.
LIABILITY & INDEMNITY
Under no circumstances will Sarah Mason or Altered Tides be liable for any damages, including without limitation, direct, indirect, incidental, special, punitive, consequential, or other damages (including without limitation lost profits, lost revenues, or similar economic loss), whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, arising out of the advice or information provided to you during professional services provided by Sarah Mason or Altered Tides. In addition, you agree to defend, and indemnify Sarah Mason or Altered Tides harmless from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities, damages, and expenses (including legal fees) arising out of your participation in the professional services.
GOVERNING LAW
These terms and conditions and any other matters arising out of or in relation to these terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. You agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts to settle any dispute which may arise out of or in connection with these terms and conditions.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS UPDATES
These terms and conditions are subject to revision without notice. Please familiarise yourself with any amendments if you have restarted therapy with us after a long period of absence.
DATA PROTECTION
For our services, your personal data is collected, processed, used, and stored in accordance with the attached Privacy Policy. By booking an appointment, you signify your acceptance of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to this policy, please do not book an appointment. The terms of this Privacy Policy may change from time to time without prior notice to you, so please check our website periodically for any changes.
CONCERNS & COMPLAINTS
If you have a concern or complaint regarding your therapy, please discuss this with us in the first instance, and we will endeavour to resolve the issue.
STATEMENTS OF UNDERSTANDING
By signing the Client Agreement, you agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the Client Agreement. You also agree with the statements below:
I confirm that I have been advised by Sarah Mason of Altered Tides of the scope of the therapies that they provide, and give my full consent to receiving therapy sessions from Sarah Mason of Altered Tides.
I understand that results may vary from person to person, and the agreement by Sarah Mason of Altered Tides to work on the issues or problems presented by me, using whatever therapies are appropriate to my situation, in no way implies or guarantees the resolution of any presenting problems or issues.
I understand that hypnotherapy or any other therapy or information provided by Sarah Mason at Altered Tides, either in person or via telephone, email, or internet, is not a replacement or substitute for medical, psychological, or psychiatric treatment. If I have any doubts or concerns about my health, I will seek advice from an appropriate qualified healthcare professional.
I declare that, if advised by Sarah Mason at Altered Tides prior to or following any therapy sessions, to seek medical approval, I will consult with my GP, hospital consultant, and/or other healthcare professional and gain the appropriate written approval for Sarah Mason before the next therapy session.
I have been advised that I am free to terminate any or all sessions at any time.
I understand that my level of motivation is vital in the therapy process, and I agree to participate to the best of my ability at all times, including making reasonable use of therapeutic suggestions during and between sessions, as well as listening to audio recordings and/or carrying out other therapeutic tasks as appropriate.
I have accurately and truthfully answered any questions and provided background information during the initial consultation and /or first therapy session and will continue to do so during any subsequent therapy sessions.
CONFIDENTIALITY
By checking the consent box: I consent that Sarah Mason of Altered Tides may release information to a specific individual or agency if it has been determined that a vulnerable person (child or elder) is at risk; if I, as a client, am in imminent danger to myself or others; or if a subpoena of records has been requested.
I also understand that, at any time, Sarah Mason of Altered Tides may discuss aspects of my case with other colleagues, keeping my full name and identity completely confidential always unless I have given permission otherwise.