What the Someone to Talk to service is and isn’t
The service provides a safe, neutral, non-judgmental, and understanding environment where you can discuss almost anything. Someone to talk to is a peer support service and a mentoring service whenever I can use my life and work experience to help you understand your situation and see opportunities.
The service is not therapy. I’m not a psychologist or a counsellor. In our appointments, you might not share enough information for me to see the complete picture of your life. Therefore, you should never let my points of view overrule the advice you get from health professionals.
We can discuss any advice you get elsewhere, and I can share my experience if I’ve been in a comparable situation. But I cannot take on the responsibility for your health.
You are responsible for your actions
Again, in our conversations, I can’t possibly get a complete overview of your life with all its complexity, risks, and possible consequences.
I will rarely tell you what you should do, except if my interpretation of the situation is that you are in danger. My role is to listen to what you want to share, help you understand the situation, and see opportunities based on my knowledge and experience.
But you are fully responsible for what you choose to do.
What we can’t talk about
Generally, we can talk about whatever’s on your mind.
However, I won’t engage in hateful, discriminatory, racist, or sexist conversations.
Also, talking about committed or planned crimes is off-limits. Because I’m not a solicitor or health worker, I cannot hide behind professional confidentiality.
If you’re talking about criminal activity, I may be in a situation where I am obliged under English legislation to report it to the police. I don’t want to end up in this conflict of loyalty.
Confidentiality
Apart from that, everything we talk about is entirely confidential.
I will never make or keep any notes or records from our appointments.
The only information that must be stored for a while is your email address when you book an appointment. This is necessary to manage the appointment, payment, and refund if a cancellation happens.
If I ever use anything we talk about as an example in future writings, lectures, or teachings, there will be absolutely no information or descriptions there that can be traced back to you. The closest descriptors will be gender, age group (e.g. 40 – 50), and country (e.g. England).
Anonymity
If you choose to use your real name when you are booking an appointment, it’s okay. I do everything I can to keep your personal information safe. If you, for the sake of anonymity, choose to use a nickname, that’s okay as well. I just need a name to call you by while we are talking.
I will need an actual email address, though, as mentioned earlier. If the email address is fake, I won’t be able to send you a meeting link for the appointment.
I will never use the email address you provide when booking a Someone to talk to appointment for anything but what’s mentioned above. You will not receive marketing emails from me, for instance.
Inactive email addresses will be deleted from my booking system at least once every year.
Although I strongly prefer you switch your camera on while we talk, you can choose not to. I prefer to see you because non-verbal communication is a big part of human communication and can help me understand you better.
In the improbable event that we should bump into each other in real life, I will never show any signs that I recognise you.
My website uses analytics software to help me improve the website and its content. This means that your IP address (your device’s internet address) is recorded when you book an appointment, but this will never be used by me or anyone else to track you.
My privacy and safety
I live a simple and quiet countryside life by choice, and I need it to stay that way.
I’m not obliged to communicate with you outside of booked appointments. You must agree that you will never contact me by phone, email, social media, or personal attendance without my explicit consent.
I have the right to cancel booked appointments and refuse further bookings
- If I suspect our conversations aren’t good for you for any reason.
- If you behave in an aggressive, threatening, or abusive way in our conversations.
- If you breach the terms and conditions you are reading now.
If cancellations happen because of abusive behaviour or breach of terms and conditions on your part, there will be no refunds.
Payment and refunds
Appointments are paid via PayPal at the time of booking. I understand unexpected things sometimes happen, and I will refund your payment if you cancel an appointment 24 hours before.
I will start the refund as soon as possible. How long a refund takes on PayPal’s side depends on the payment method you use. Click here for more information from PayPal.
All cancelled appointments because of things that happen in my life, for instance, if I fall ill, will be refunded.
How we do the conversations (the technicalites)
The appointments will be done as online meetings. You can use almost any suitable device, like smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
I will send a meeting link to your email address before the appointment.
I must ask you to read the user’s guide thoroughly before the first appointment.
Please ensure you know how to use your device as described in the user’s guide and have a reasonably good internet connection.
I dedicate time for you when you book an appointment, so I will usually not give you a refund if the appointment fails because of technical problems on your side. If the issues are on my side, I will, of course, refund your payment.