Your Journey to Counselling
1. The Initial Intake Assessment
When our waiting list is open, you will be invited to attend a 40 to 50-minute intake appointment with an experienced counsellor. This is a safe space to discuss your needs, answer your questions, and ensure we match you with the right therapeutic path. This can take place face-to-face at our Norwich office, or online via our Telehealth platform..
2. Weekly Regular Sessions
Following your assessment, you will be matched with a regular counsellor. To build a safe, consistent relationship, you will meet with your counsellor every week at the exact same scheduled day and time .
3. Cancellations & Commitment
Therapeutic progress requires consistent commitment. If you need to cancel an appointment due to sudden illness or emergency, please notify us at least 24 hours in advance . We regret that missing a session without 24 hours' notice we still ask if you could pay a donation for that session.
What Does Counselling Cost?
As a registered charity, OTR receives no Government or NHS funding
To make our service sustainable and cover our direct operational costs (including venue overheads and professional counsellor fees), we operate entirely on donations and charitable trust grants.
We don't use fixed fees because we believe everyone deserves mental health support. Instead, we trust you to choose a donation amount that honestly reflects what you can manage.
For
Perspective:
The average cost of private counselling in Norfolk is
£60 per session.
Our sessions are heavily subsidised to ensure that they remain significantly more affordable than commercial private therapy
Policy & Fairness Terms
Fees & Financial Reviews
- Initial Assessment Fee: The fee for your initial intake assessment is equal to the standard session donation amount you choose.
- Donation Agreements: Your ongoing donation amount will be discussed and formally agreed upon during your initial intake assessment.
- Changes in Circumstances: If your financial situation changes at any point during your time with us, please inform your counsellor so your donation can be reviewed.
*For clients navigating deeply complex trauma or long-term issues, extensions can be clinically reviewed and authorised by our service management team.
Service Duration Policy Note:
To ensure we can provide affordable care to as many people across Norfolk as possible, Off The Record provides short-to-medium-term counselling structured around a core 12 month session framework.
Session Structure & Frequency
- Weekly Attendance: All new counselling sessions are offered as Weekly sessions only. We no longer offer fortnightly sessions from the start of therapy.
- Consistency & Momentum: Weekly attendance is required to help you build consistency and momentum, which are vital for the therapy to be effective.
- Transition to Fortnightly: Fortnightly sessions will only be permitted as a temporary measure when your therapy is actively reaching its conclusion.
Duration & Progress Reviews
- 12-Session Reviews: To ensure your therapy remains effective and focused, your progress will be formally reviewed at 12-session intervals.
- Timeline Monitoring: A standard framework will be monitored across a maximum period of one year to keep the therapeutic timeline clear and manageable.
Managing Endings
- Planned Conclusions: All therapeutic endings must be managed and planned well in advance between you and your counsellor to ensure a safe and structured conclusion to your work.
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