Aya is not suitable for a suicidal crisis; if you are suicidal, or considering self-harm please contact the emergency services or The Samaritans Website: www.samaritans.org  Email: jo@samaritans.org , Tel: 08457 90 90 90, 

If your life is at risk dial 999.

Please read Terms of use carefully. They define our relationship with you in relation to this website and our services.  The website to which these terms apply and for which we are responsible for is time-to-thrive.co.uk. To use AYA to receive Counselling and workshops, or as a visitor and user of the site and any other pages or profiles operated by AYA, you accept that you have read our terms of use.

We request that you familiarise yourself with relevant information regarding your chosen service. By using or accessing any part of this website you will be deemed to have accepted our terms in full. If you do not accept any of the terms please do not continue to use this website. This website was created using third party software from 'Go Daddy'.

Our service
This website is provided by AYA for the purpose of providing Online and Telephone Counselling, and workshops including group activities. The service is for anybody who would like to receive counselling or support, as long as the you are able to understand and acknowledge what is involved in this service and is willing to co-operate and follow the terms of use, or has the agreement of the relevant authority. 

Communication
We will communicate via your preferred method, this will be secure at the point of sending and all steps will be taken to ensure that the communication remains confidential. 

Hours of service
We work varied hours however we will attempt to respond as soon as we are able this should usually be with in at least seven days.

Payment
BACs payment is preferred and details of this will be given it is also preferred that payments are made in advance of session or immediately after. Online payments may also be made via PayPal.

Student discount

We provide student discounts. These sessions are limited and are charged at £30-50.

After selecting a service and making a payment:

• Email counselling may be more advantageous to you and this is currently in development and an agreement would be formed via email to facilitate this work.
• New clients who have selected and paid for the instant chat, online or telephone sessions are to contact us via email to request their preferred session date and time or book these online. Clients should also include the appropriate information to conduct their session, i.e. brief details of their issue, messenger I.D, telephone number etc. Clients will then receive a welcome email from their Counsellor which will also include confirmation of their session date and time or an alternative list of available session slots that the client may select from.
• Existing clients may book session times and dates directly with their assigned Counsellor. We request that you make your payment promptly. Existing clients may also book their next appointment during a session with their Counsellor. We ask that you ensure that you make your payment immediately, on that day.
  *If during your session you request a date/time for your next session but do not make your payment, or contact us to cancel your reservation, you're still liable to make payment as the slot was allocated to you. This means another client would be unable to have a session with your Counsellor at that time. It also has a major effect on the Therapist's time which could have been spent supporting someone else, or they could have been able to be off from work.
• Overseas clients - All clients over the world are welcome to use our service. Our email, instant chat and Skype services are all conducted via the internet. If you are overseas and wish to have a voice call please note that we may request that you use Skype VoIP calling or Google Talk/Hangouts as the international calls are free. 

Conduct

While therapy sessions provide the space for clients to work through difficult feelings and emotions, Counsellors and Admin staff will not accept threatening or abusive behaviour towards them. Such behaviour may result in the session ending and the client being liable for the full session cost. Future sessions may not be permitted. 

Clients and site visitors are not permitted to attempt to damage the website in any way through the introduction of viruses or any form of malicious or technology. Details of any breach of this will be forwarded to the relevant authorities.

The conduct of our staff is just as important. AYA team members and volunteers are carefully selected, this is to ensure that clients receive services of a high professional standard that are ethical, confidential and safe. Our Therapists have significant post-qualification experience, as well as broad life experience. This better equips them to provide our diverse client group with the personal touch, as well as understanding and a naturally warm approach. We promote anti-discriminatory practice. We believe in providing care and compassion to everyone, regardless of their backgrounds. 

Cancellation Policy
It is very important and a matter of mutual respect that you keep your appointments. All clients need to understand from the outset that we are unable to fit another client into your missed appointment slot at short notice. If for any reason you need to cancel/reschedule an appointment you will need to provide us with at least 8 hours' notice. Any cancellations with less than 8 hours' notice are chargeable for the full session fee. Being unavailable for any session without informing us will also incur the full fee for the session you have booked.

We request that you are available for your session at least 5 - 10 minutes before the agreed time. Please ensure that your status is set to online/available if you are using the instant chat or on-line service. If you are using the phone service ensure that your phone is not engaged, disconnected or switched off.

Sessions start right on time. If you will be late in any way contact your Counsellor via email before your session time. If you have not contacted your Counsellor prior to your session and are late, offline, engaged, away or unavailable at the exact agreed session time our counsellor will wait around five minutes for your call/message then your session should be considered cancelled. 

Disclaimer and Liability
This website contains information and links to other sites which are external to The AYA Counselling Service. We take careful consideration when adding links to this website. It is the user's responsibility to acknowledge the necessary appropriateness of the information contained in other external sites. We are not responsible for the quality of services, products, privacy practices or terms of use of other sites. We encourage our visitors to be aware when they leave our website and to read the privacy policy of other sites.

• You agree that you are not experiencing a suicidal crisis and are not at risk of harming yourself or anyone else.
• You understand that online and telephone therapy is not suitable for mental health crisis.
• You agree that The AYA Counselling Service cannot be held responsible for providing services in the event of a crisis or emergency situation. While we will do our best to assist as appropriate if a crisis or emergency develops during our work together, you may need to contact the appropriate emergency services.
• You agree that online and telephone services may not be as effective for all 
• You agree and understand that the effectiveness of Counselling depends on the investment of time and energy you are willing to make. Generally speaking, the more you invest in it, the more you will get out of it.
• You understand and agree that the therapeutic relationship depends largely on your input in solving your problems.
• You agree and understand that Counselling can be challenging, as uncomfortable emotions and thoughts can arise as part of the treatment process.
• You understand that as detailed on the website, after making your payment it is your responsibility to contact us within the specified time frame to book your session time/date.
• You understand that we are happy to accept your preferred session times/date at the time of booking but your requested sessions slots are provided subject to availability. You will receive a confirmation email with session time/date details or alternative times or dates will be provided for you to select from.
• You understand that The AYA Counselling Service cannot guarantee a positive Counselling, even though we are hopeful that our work together will be of help to you.
• You understand that as a new, former or current client you are bound by the terms of use. It is your responsibility to keep up to date with the current terms and privacy policy which can be amended at any time without notification.
• You have read the Cookies Policy and agree to our use of cookies.
• You agree that if you are disconnected during a session that you will email your Counsellor as soon as possible and also check your inbox for correspondence from them. 
• You agree that if you do not hear from your Counsellor at the agreed session time you will email/text them within 5 minutes of the agreed session time.
• We are not in the position to write reports on progress made in counselling by way of request from external agencies, for example Social Services or NHS.  We provide a duty of confidentiality to our clients, Aya Counsellors provide distance therapy, online and via the phone so they do not get to see their clients and are unable to fully assess or verify certain needs, for e.g. physical needs. However, in some circumstances and at our discretion, along with consent from the client who would be currently using the counselling service, we can provide brief information that confirms the client is a user of the service. We may include how long they have had therapy for.
• The AYA Counselling Service reserves the right to resist legal requests to produce records in court. We do this in order to protect our duty of confidentiality to all clients and to preserve The AYA Counselling Service’s reputation as a provider of confidential counselling. We are unable to provide records or information for legal proceedings when asked by clients, their solicitors, the police and the courts unless a Subpoena ordered by a UK court is ordered. The basic information that is held temporarily, is not suitable as evidence in legal proceedings.
• You permanently agree to release and indemnify The AYA Counselling Service from all suits, lawsuits, claims and actions originating from Counselling, Psychotherapy and provided through The Counselling Service.