By using this platform, you agree to the Terms of Service. The platform may be available through multiple websites or applications, whether owned or operated by us or third parties. By accessing the platform, you consent to our Privacy Policy, which includes sharing your information across these websites or applications. You also agree that Headstrong can use your phone number and email to contact you regarding your assessment and counselling, as well as for any other purposes for which you provide additional consent.
You are prohibited from using the Platform for any unlawful or prohibited activities. Misuse of the Platform in any way that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the Platform, or interfere with any other party's use and enjoyment of the Platform, is not allowed. Attempting to obtain or actually obtaining any materials or information through any means not intentionally made available or provided for through the Platform is forbidden. All content included as part of the Service, such as text, graphics, logos, images, and any software used on the Platform, is the property of Headstrong or its suppliers and protected by copyright and other laws that protect intellectual property and proprietary rights.
Headstrong Counselling
Headstrong Counselling provides a low cost counselling service with all therapy being delivered by trainee counsellors, clinically supervised by Qualified Health Care Professionals (QHP) and whose therapeutic skills are further enhanced through Continuing Professional Development (CPD) supervisors. Safeguarding and risk topics are reported to and managed by the QHP team. If the assessment indicates the need for a qualified therapist or specialist care, the client will be immediately informed.
Headstrong PRO
Headstrong PRO does not provide counselling service to clients. It acts as an agent which, through its platform, allows independent, qualified practitioners (defined as any qualified and professionally registered practitioner in the counselling and psychology profession to offer their services to clients.. This also includes trainees signed off for private practice by an accredited training institute) to recruit and engage with clients for providing low cost, quality counselling therapy.
Practitioners on the platform have been vetted by Headstrong Pro, while remaining fully and directly responsible for the client relationship.
Practitioners have agreed to adhere to a maximum fee per session to ensure accessibility of their services and benefit, for clients recruited through the platform, from a client-therapist matching process , from support by an Advisory Safeguarding Team led by QHPs, from access to a dedicated training platform and from a digital infrastructure that ensures security and privacy of client data.
Eligibility and Urgent Help
Headstrong Counselling offers weekly talk therapy for individuals experiencing mild to moderate mental health challenges. If you are seeking therapy with our trainee service but the assessment determines that you may need a qualified therapist, we will let you know following the assessment. In such cases, we may refer you to our sister service, Headstrong PRO, which connects clients with qualified therapists.
If your assessment indicates that you may require specialist care, care coordination better managed through a GP or psychiatrist, or support beyond what our service can provide, we may refer you back to your GP, who can guide you to the appropriate resources. Where possible, we will also share additional support options to assist you further.
Our clinical team carefully reviews each assessment to determine the most appropriate support for your needs. Headstrong Counselling and Headstrong PRO are not substitutes for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have medical concerns, we recommend consulting a healthcare professional.
In some cases, a member of our clinical team may call you before your scheduled assessment to discuss the responses provided on your initial booking form. This call helps us determine whether Headstrong services are suitable for your needs. If it is decided that our services are not appropriate, we may cancel your assessment booking. However, we will inform you of this decision.
If you are a qualified therapist or a trainee therapist, your assessment will be automatically referred to our sister service, Headstrong PRO, which connects clients with qualified therapists.
Clients are required to reside in the UK for the majority of their therapy sessions with us. This is in part due to insurance regulations and the requirements of our counsellors' accrediting body, as well as managing any risk and for us to ensure that we provide a service that is both compliant and professionally accredited. Thank you for your understanding.
If you are working with a trainee counsellor, please note that trainees are required to share basic anonymised information with their training institution. This includes: Logs of therapy hours. Logs of supervision hours. Standards of proficiency records. All information is strictly confidential and protected from unauthorised disclosure. You will not be identifiable from the submitted information. You are under no obligation to consent to this use of your material. If you do not wish for your information to be used in this way, please inform your assessor or counsellor verbally, and your assessment or therapy will continue as normal.
Headstrong reserves the right to terminate counselling and requires counsellors to terminate counselling if a client's presentation falls outside the service's eligibility criteria, with referrals to be made to appropriate specialists or emergency services as needed.
Assessments
Bookings
Both clients of Headstrong Counselling service and of the independent therapists on the Headstrong Pro platform are required to complete an assessment before accessing the service.
Assessments are provided by Headstrong Counselling and managed through Acuity Scheduling. The Assessment payment system is handled by Square Up.
A self-referral method for assessments is used, which starts with pre-screening questionnaire. Clients can then choose an appointment time from the schedule, and the appointment will be confirmed by email once payment is made. The 50-minute assessment provides an opportunity for clients to discuss their needs, ask questions, or provide further details on the pre-screening questionnaire. It allows Headstrong Counselling to ask follow-up questions to enhance service quality, better match the client to a therapist, or assess the suitability of the service for the therapeutic needs.
Cancellations/Rescheduling
Sessions can be rescheduled and cancelled up to 48 hours before the session without charge. To reschedule a session within 48 hours, clients must book a new session through the website.
Assessment sessions cannot proceed if the client is more than 15 minutes late, and rescheduling without charge will not be possible, as the service incurs costs to pay the assessor.
No refunds are provided if a client withdraws from the service after the assessment, or if the clinical team determines the service is unsuitable for the client.
Clinical Oversight
All assessments are under the supervision of Qualified Healthcare Professionals (QHPs), who assess client suitability and determine if the client is appropriate to be seen by a trainee. The QHP team reviews diagnoses, medications, and any other clinical elements related to the client's assessment. They also review risk assessments and all communication with other healthcare professionals as the client’s GP or psychiatrist.
Remote Service, Pre-Assessment & Safety
All assessments are delivered remotely. Certain clinical conditions may not be suitable for remote consultations. There may be instances where a member of the clinical team calls the client for a pre-assessment to gather more information based on the initial assessment form. This call helps determine whether an assessment should proceed. In some cases, an assessment booking might be cancelled, in which case appropriate signposting will be provided.
If the pre-screening questionnaire determines that the client’s presentation is not suitable for a remote assessment, the client will be informed, and the assessment will be cancelled and refunded.
GP Information
When assessments require GP information, the GP or emergency services might be contacted, if there are concerns about the client’s safety or the safety of others. Where possible, the client will be informed of such communications.
The service also has an ethical and legal responsibility to report drug trafficking and possible terrorist acts.
If a client is also a trainee or a qualified counsellor who might have been engaged in gross misconduct with or towards his clients, the relevant accrediting body might be contacted. Under no circumstances, the training institution will be contacted unless specifically requested.
Private Space
All clients must ensure they have a confidential space to conduct assessment sessions. If not in a confidential space, the assessor reserves the right to stop the session.
Headstrong Counselling – Trainee Service
The cost of sessions , provided by Headstrong Counselling, ranges from £15 to £35, depending on income. High-income clients are asked to pay a £35 sponsorship fee, directly supporting those who cannot afford the lowest fee.
Trainee counsellors work voluntarily, receiving clinical supervision, CPD supervision, further training, and safeguarding support from Headstrong Counselling.
They are required to share client information with their supervisors to ensure safe and ethical practice, with all information kept confidential and protected from unauthorized disclosure. Trainees may need to share anonymized information about their practice with their training institutions for therapy hours, supervision hours, and proficiency standards. Some trainees may be required to audio record sessions with client permission, which will not be held or stored by Headstrong Counselling. For more information on audio recordings, please consult your counsellor.
Cancellations made within 7 days of the session will incur a full fee. Headstrong Counselling reserves the right to terminate therapy at any point if a client's needs exceed service capabilities or for reasons outlined in the confidentiality and client safety policy. The trainee service offers weekly sessions only, with in-person sessions available in Hackney and Fulham.
Feedback and complaints about Headstrong Counselling can be submitted through the Headstrong Counselling website, with confidentiality being maintained in line with the Privacy Policy.
Headstrong Counselling adheres to the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy Ethical Framework and does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status. Clients with disabilities are encouraged to inform Headstrong Counselling at booking to accommodate their needs.
Headstrong PRO – Qualified, independent Professionals
After completing the assessment process, clients are paired with a qualified practitioner, based on the client's clinical needs, preferences, and the availability and preferences of the practitioners. A Qualified Healthcare Professional (QHP) oversees the matching process to ensure compatibility and the highest standard of care.
All practitioners on the Headstrong PRO platform are independent professionals, engaging directly with their clients. The therapeutic approaches and experiences may differ from one practitioner to another, tailored to the individual client's needs.
Upon successful pairing, clients will receive an email containing the profile of their designated counsellor, along with a link to schedule their sessions. Payment for sessions is required at the time of booking.
Practitioners on the platform are free to define the fee for their services but have agreed to a maximum fee per session of £40, of which maximum £34 is allocated directly to the independent therapist for their professional services.
The maximum total cost per session is £48 if the practitioner is VAT registered.
Of the remaining £6, £0.80 is allocated to payment processing through Stripe, £5.20 to the support service provided by Headstrong Pro.
Headstrong PRO supports the counsellors in maintaining a secure communication platform for counsellors and clients, ensuring the confidential storage of sensitive information, including assessments and session notes. Clients who wish to obtain a copy of their session notes can request them by contacting DPO@headstrongcounselling.co.uk.
For any complaints, clients are encouraged to contact their counsellor directly. Clients can also inform Headstrong PRO who takes all feedback seriously as part of its commitment to ongoing vetting of practitioners and quality control. Complaints requiring a full investigation should be directed to the practitioner's accrediting body. This ensures a comprehensive review and appropriate resolution in line with professional standards and ethical guidelines.
Headstrong Counselling and Headstrong Pro reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time, with changes communicated to clients.
Protect Black Women Initiative Terms and Conditions
As part of the Protect Black Women Initiative, assessments are provided free of charge. However, we maintain a 48-hour cancellation or rescheduling policy. If you need to reschedule within 48 hours of your appointment, there will be a charge of £25. Following the initial assessment, a Qualified Healthcare Professional (QHP) will conduct a clinical review to determine if our services are appropriate for your therapeutic needs. If deemed suitable, your case will be transferred to Headstrong PRO, where all participating therapists are trained and qualified to support clients in a culturally appropriate manner.
Clients are eligible for six sessions at no cost or a subsidised rate, provided through a unique code issued post-assessment.
These sessions must be booked and utilised within three months from the date of the assessment using the email address registered during the assessment booking. This same email must be used to successfully redeem session codes. Please note that our sessions also adhere to a 48-hour cancellation and rescheduling policy, and no additional free or subsidised sessions will be provided for instances of non-compliance with this policy.
Should you wish to continue therapy beyond the initial six sessions, you may choose to continue with your qualified counsellor at a rate of £40 per session. Alternatively, you can opt to transfer to our low-cost trainee service, pending a clinical review by a QHP to confirm suitability. If it is determined that a trainee service is not appropriate, we may refer you to other organisations or suggest you consult your general practitioner for further support.
Headstrong PRO does not provide counselling service to clients. It acts as an agent which, through its platform, allows independent, qualified practitioners (defined as any professionally registered practitioner in the counselling, psychotherapy and psychology profession) to recruit and engage with clients for providing low cost, quality counselling therapy.