Terms & booking conditions

This is a working draft prepared for review. It is not legal advice and will be reviewed by a qualified professional before this site launches.

These terms cover booking and paying for sessions with Velora Counselling (practitioner: Adrianne Birchmore), ABN 53 528 122 795. What happens inside sessions (confidentiality, records, how therapy works) is covered in the counselling agreement you’ll receive before your first session. Questions are welcome any time at Veloracounselling@outlook.com.au.

1. Booking and payment

• Bookings are made on our booking page, which is hosted by Cliniko, the Australian practice-management software we use to run the practice. You choose an available time and confirm your booking there; a booking deposit is taken securely at booking, with card processing handled by Stripe. Your card details never pass through this website, and we never see them.
• Your booking is confirmed when the booking page says so and a confirmation email arrives. If the email hasn’t arrived within an hour (check spam first), contact us and we’ll sort it out.
• Session fees at the time of writing: Initial consultation (30 minutes) $70, with a $40 booking deposit · Standard session (50 minutes) $110, with a $60 booking deposit. All amounts are in Australian dollars and GST-free. Current fees are always shown on the booking page before you pay.
• Fees may change from time to time, but never for a session you’ve already booked and paid for.

2. Rescheduling and cancelling

Life happens, and one missed appointment is never held against you. The notice window exists because a cancelled hour usually can’t be offered to someone else at short notice.

• With more than 24 hours’ notice: your booking deposit is transferred to the new appointment time, or refunded where applicable.
• With less than 24 hours’ notice: the booking deposit is retained as a late-cancellation fee.
• Not attending without notice (no-show): the booking deposit is forfeited.
• To reschedule or cancel, use the link in your confirmation email or contact us directly.
• If something genuinely out of your control happens, such as an emergency or sudden illness, tell us. These policies set expectations; they’re not applied without compassion or common sense.

3. If we need to cancel

Occasionally Adrianne may need to cancel due to illness or unforeseen circumstances. If that happens you’ll be told as soon as possible and offered a full refund or a priority rebooking. Your choice, no conditions.

4. Online sessions

• Online sessions run over secure video; the link arrives with your confirmation. You’ll need a reliable internet connection and a private, safe space to talk.
• If technology fails mid-session and we can’t reconnect within a reasonable time, the remaining time will be rescheduled or refunded on a pro-rata basis. You won’t pay for time we couldn’t deliver.
• Online counselling is available to clients located in Australia.

5. Refunds and your consumer rights

Our services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. Nothing in these terms limits your rights under those guarantees, including your right to a remedy if a service isn’t provided with due care and skill, isn’t fit for its purpose, or isn’t delivered in a reasonable time. Any cancellation or no-show policy above applies only to the extent it’s consistent with that law. Approved refunds are returned to your original payment method, usually within 5–10 business days.

6. What counselling is, and what it isn’t

Counselling is a professional, confidential space to work through what’s going on for you. It is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric treatment, and it is not a crisis service. The booking page, email and contact form are not monitored around the clock.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000. If you need support now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24 hours), the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467, or 13YARN on 13 92 76 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support.

7. Respect, safety and ending an engagement

Therapy works best in a relationship of mutual respect. Adrianne may decline or discontinue services where that’s clinically appropriate or where behaviour is abusive or unsafe. In that case any prepaid, undelivered sessions are refunded in full, and referrals to other practitioners will be offered where appropriate.

8. Liability

To the extent permitted by law, our liability for a breach of a consumer guarantee in relation to these services is limited to supplying the services again or paying the cost of having them supplied again. Nothing in these terms excludes or limits any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited, including liability under the Australian Consumer Law, or for fraud or negligence causing personal injury.

Adrianne holds professional indemnity insurance (details to be confirmed).

9. Privacy

Booking a session involves sharing personal information that is treated as health-related and sensitive. How it is collected, protected and stored, including Cliniko’s role, is set out in our privacy policy.

10. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms occasionally. The version that applies to your booking is the version published when you booked. Significant changes will be flagged on this page with an updated date.

11. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of Queensland, Australia, and any dispute is subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Queensland.

Contact

Velora Counselling · ABN 53 528 122 795 · Veloracounselling@outlook.com.au