Therapy Agreement & Professional Standards

The Muslim Counsellor · Effective date: 1 November 2026 · This replaces all earlier versions.

At The Muslim Counsellor, we are committed to offering a safe, ethical and client-centred therapeutic space.

Agreeing to this agreement

By booking a session, you confirm that you have read this Therapy Agreement and the Confidentiality Agreement, and that you agree to them. Together they form the contract between us. If you do not agree, please do not book. In couples and family work, each person agrees separately.

Who this service is for

This service is for adults aged 18 and over who live in the UK. Counselling is voluntary, and you are free to ask questions about anything in this agreement before or during therapy.

The initial session

The initial session is a full consultation, charged at the standard session rate. It gives both of us the chance to assess whether working together is appropriate. We will explore your reasons for seeking therapy, outline expectations and agree on a mutually suitable approach.

Sessions

Each session lasts approximately 55 minutes.
The number and frequency of sessions will be tailored to your needs and reviewed regularly.
You are free to end therapy at any time. Where possible, we encourage a planned ending.
Please attend sessions free from alcohol or drugs. I may end or reschedule a session if I believe this is affecting your safety or the work.

What therapy is, and is not

Therapy is a collaborative journey that may bring up challenging emotions. It can support meaningful insight, emotional healing and growth over time. However:

It is not a crisis service.
It does not guarantee particular results or outcomes.
It is not a substitute for medical care or psychiatric treatment. I do not give medical advice or advise on medication. For that, please speak to your GP.
Counselling draws on Islamic values, but it does not provide religious rulings (fatwa). For religious guidance, please consult a qualified scholar.

Individual counselling

Your safety: if I am seriously concerned for your safety, I may contact your GP, emergency services or the emergency contact you give me. Where possible I will talk to you first. Please give me an emergency contact and your GP’s details when we start.
Past abuse: if you tell me about abuse in your past, I will support you at your own pace. If what you tell me suggests a child or vulnerable adult may currently be at risk, I may have to act under the limits of confidentiality.
Other support: please tell me if you are seeing another therapist or taking medication related to your mental health.

Couples and family work

The couple or family is the client. There are no secrets within the work.
I may offer individual sessions to one or both partners. What is said in individual sessions can be raised in joint sessions.
My role is to help you explore your relationship, not to decide for you. I do not advise you whether to stay together, separate or divorce, and I do not act as a mediator, arbitrator or religious authority on matters such as talaq or khula.
If an affair or other significant disclosure is made, I will explore it with both of you in the way that is safest and most helpful for the work. I will not hold information from one partner in joint sessions.
Family members, in-laws, elders or community leaders may attend sessions only if all clients agree in advance. I do not share information with them without written consent from every client.
Couples counselling may not be suitable where there is domestic abuse or coercive control. If I have concerns about safety, I may stop joint sessions, see each person separately, or refer you to specialist support. I will not continue joint work if I believe it could put someone at risk.
If I have concerns that someone is being forced into marriage or is at risk from honour-based abuse, I will take action to protect them, and this may include sharing information without consent, as set out in the Confidentiality Agreement.
Children: where children are involved, their welfare comes first. I do not offer child custody advice or assessments, and I do not give opinions about parenting for legal proceedings.
If one person decides to stop, I will offer a closing session where possible. I cannot continue working with one partner alone on the couple’s issues without the other’s agreement. Records of joint sessions stay as one record.

Online sessions

For sessions held online or by phone, you agree to:

join from a private place where you will not be overheard,
not record the session in any way, and
tell me your location at the start of each session, so I can act if there is a safety concern.

Online sessions carry some technical and privacy risks, and by using them you accept this. If you are outside the UK, I may not be able to help in an emergency, and my insurance may not cover the work.

Fees, payment and cancellations

Session fees are shown at the time of booking. Payment is due [at booking / before each session].
If you need to cancel or reschedule, please give at least [24 Hours] notice. Sessions cancelled with less notice, or missed, may be charged at the full fee.
Your right to cancel: you have 14 days from booking to cancel without giving a reason. If you ask for a session to take place within that period, you accept that you will pay for any session that has already taken place.
If I need to cancel a session, I will give as much notice as possible and offer another time or a refund.

Professional boundaries

Our relationship is professional. I do not accept friend or follow requests, and I do not socialise with clients. If we meet by chance, or know each other through the community, I will not acknowledge you unless you do first. Please tell me before booking if you know me, or have a connection to my family or colleagues.

Professional standards and supervision

This service operates in line with the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions and the values of Islamic counselling. As part of professional practice, the therapist receives regular supervision, where cases may be discussed without identifying you. This supports high standards of care and confidentiality.

Confidentiality and your records

Your information is protected as described in our Confidentiality Agreement. This includes the limits of confidentiality, how your records are kept and how to ask for your notes. If I am unable to continue practising, a professional executor will manage your records securely in line with BACP guidance.

Reports and legal proceedings

Counselling is not a legal or forensic service. I do not write reports or attend court in family, divorce or immigration matters unless legally required, and then fees apply. Where the law requires disclosure, I will follow the Confidentiality Agreement.

Ending therapy and declining requests

In cases where therapy is no longer beneficial or falls outside the scope of support offered, the therapist may discontinue sessions and, if appropriate, offer a referral to another professional or service. The Muslim Counsellor may also decline counselling requests that are unsuitable or where a conflict of interest may exist. Any payment made in advance for unused sessions will be refunded in these circumstances.

Emergencies

This is not an emergency service, and I do not offer out-of-hours support.

In immediate danger: call 999.
Urgent mental health support: call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option.
To talk to someone: call Samaritans free on 116 123, 24 hours a day.
Domestic abuse: National Domestic Abuse Helpline, free, 24 hours, 0808 2000 247.

Concerns and complaints

Please raise any concern with me first at kaneezmohammad@hotmail.co.uk. I will acknowledge it within [5] working days and aim to resolve it fairly. You may also contact BACP’s Professional Conduct team at professional_conduct@bacp.co.uk.

Changes

I may update this agreement. The version in force when you book applies to you.

Contact: 07949 542248 · kaneezmohammad@hotmail.co.uk

BACP Registered

Get in Touch

07949 542248

kaneezmohammad@hotmail.co.uk