Therapist Agreement | Psyconnect

Therapist Member Agreement

Introduction
Welcome to the PsyConnect network. We are excited to have you onboard as part of our growing community of private therapists. This agreement outlines the key terms of your engagement with PsyConnect and sets expectations for your role within the platform and network.

PsyConnect is built on a foundation of mutual trust and professional reciprocity. The network works because its members engage with it honestly, and those who do are the ones who benefit most from it. We ask you to approach this agreement not merely as a set of rules but as a shared commitment to the community you are joining.

1. General Principles
Platform Purpose:

Facilitates the initial connection between clients and therapists, making it easier to find a suitable match.
Improves the profitability and efficiency of private practices by helping therapists fill available slots more quickly.
Provides financial benefits to therapists by enabling them to refer clients they cannot work with to the network, ensuring those clients are matched with another suitable therapist.
Acts as a hub for therapists to: share and obtain resources; contribute to blogs and disseminate knowledge; organise supervision, support each other and exchange advice through the WhatsApp Community and Groups or by using AI-powered tools.

Professional Responsibility: Therapists are expected to act as responsible professionals, engaging only with clients who are a good match for their expertise, experience, and availability.
Integrity and Ethics: Therapists are expected to uphold the highest standards of honesty and integrity, adhering to the ethical and professional guidelines of their profession and the requirements set by the professional bodies to which they belong.
Community and Mutual Support: PsyConnect is both a referral platform and a professional community. The network gains value as its members invest in it: referring clients they cannot take on, sharing what they know, and showing up for colleagues in turn.
Independent Relationship: This agreement does not constitute an employment contract or partnership but instead defines the independent relationship between PsyConnect and its therapists.

2. The PsyConnect Community
PsyConnect is a referral platform and a professional community. The two sides fit together, and the notes below explain how.
2.1 The WhatsApp Community
We run a members’ WhatsApp Community as a space for peer connection, informal networking, finding a colleague when you have a client you are unable to take on, and the kind of conversation that makes private practice less isolating. Joining is voluntary, you can leave at any time, and you agree separately to a short set of community guidelines covering tone, confidentiality, and moderation.
Two things to flag here that connect to this agreement:
Client confidentiality. Client confidentiality. Please do not share client-identifying information in the Community, including details that could reasonably identify someone in context (a small specialism, a local area, an unusual presentation, and so on). The Client Matching group is for posting a de-identified description of a client you cannot take on, in order to find a suitable colleague. Informed consent is required at the next step: submitting a client’s details on the platform. For a sounding board on a live case, peer supervision and supervision groups remain the right place.
Referrals on the platform. Referrals on the platform. The Community is for conversation and for finding a good match; the referral itself is made on the platform. Please do not post contact details or website links in the Community, whether your own or another therapist’s; these are exchanged through the platform when a referral is made. When you find a colleague through the Client Matching group who is a good fit for a client you cannot take on, please use the platform’s referral tools so the referring therapist receives their 50% share and the network continues to be supported. The referral process is built to be quick to use so it stays the easiest path.
2.2 How the Network Stays Strong
PsyConnect is funded entirely by the commission on each successful match. That commission pays for the platform, the verification and admin work behind it, and everything else we build for members. The more referrals route through the system, the more the system can give back to the colleagues who use it.
Members who refer through the platform can expect to be referred through it in turn. That principle of reciprocity is what the network rests on, and it is the reason we ask everyone to keep referrals on-platform even where direct connections form along the way.

3. Client Requests and Limits
General Enquiries: Anonymised client enquiries (those not directed to a specific therapist) will appear in the “General Enquiries” list within the Therapist Members Area. Up to three therapists can request the contact details for any general enquiry.
Request Limits: Therapists can request contact details for up to five clients at any given time. Once a therapist has conducted a first session and paid the required commission fee to PsyConnect, they may request additional client details. These limits may be revised in the future.
Client Visibility in General Enquiries: Once a therapist schedules a first session with a client and updates this in the “Client Requests” section of their account, the enquiry will no longer be visible to other therapists.
Direct Requests: Direct requests from clients for a specific therapist will appear in the “Client Requests” section of the therapist’s account.
Client’s Name and Contact Details: For General Enquiries, both will only be displayed after the therapist clicks the “Get in Touch” button. For Direct Requests, the name will appear, but contact details only after the “Get in Touch” button is clicked.

4. Payments and Commissions
Commission for First Session: If a therapist completes a first session with a client referred through PsyConnect, they must pay the platform’s commission for that session.
No Shows: If the client does not attend the first session but has been paid for it (either privately or through insurance), the therapist must still pay the commission to PsyConnect.
Client Withdrawals: If a client withdraws from therapy before the first session and does not pay, the therapist is not expected to pay any commission. PsyConnect may follow up with the client to offer assistance in finding another therapist in the network.
Sliding Scale: The commission amount is determined based on the therapist’s qualifications and experience. The current sliding scale is:

Psychologists: £80
CBT and EMDR Therapists: £70
Counsellors and other Psychotherapists: £60

PsyConnect reserves the right to change the sliding scale in the future, in accordance with market rates and to ensure a sustainable business model.

5. Referrals
Referral Code: Each therapist has a unique referral code, which they can share with clients they cannot work with personally. This code ensures the referring therapist receives a commission when the client has their first session with another PsyConnect therapist.
Referral Process: After the first session is completed, the referring therapist will receive 50% of the commission.
Commission Payment: The therapist who conducted the session will pay the commission to PsyConnect, and the referring therapist will receive their share once the payment is processed.

6. System Abuse and Accountability
Ethical Use: PsyConnect is built on a foundation of mutual support between therapists. Any abuse of the system, fraudulent use, or dishonest activity for personal gain is strictly prohibited. This explicitly includes that a therapist member shall not solicit or endeavour to transfer any clients referred by PsyConnect outside the PsyConnect system with the intention of competing for the same business or referring them to another therapy provider.
Community channels: The WhatsApp Community and any other PsyConnect network space are for conversation and peer support. Referrals still need to be arranged through the platform’s referral tools so the referring therapist receives their 50% share. Where a referral is organised through a Community channel and then completed off-platform, that counts as system abuse under this section.
Consequences of Misuse: If a therapist is found to be abusing the PsyConnect system, or violating this agreement, they will be removed from the network and may be reported to the relevant regulatory bodies.
Account Freezing: If a therapist is suspected of system abuse, their account will be frozen whilst the issue is investigated and resolved. This will prevent them from appearing in client searches or requesting further client details until the issue is resolved.

7. Therapist Responsibilities
7.1 Client Engagement and Responsiveness
As an independent practitioner, you are responsible for all aspects of client care, including confidentiality, data protection (in accordance with GDPR), risk management, and payment arrangements with the client.
If you notice risk in a potential client message but decide not to take this client on, you are expected to evaluate the situation and act accordingly (signposting if needed) if there are concerns about the client’s safety or well-being.
Therapists must regularly update their availability in the system and respond to client enquiries promptly to maintain the quality and responsiveness of the service.
Therapists are expected to get in touch with clients within one working day of requesting client contact details, and to then update the online system with a first session time and date or to decline the client.
Therapists receive an automated email when a client submits a direct request to them. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, the therapist is expected to respond within one working day.
If a therapist knows they are going to be unavailable to respond to Direct Requests within one working day, they are expected to click the “Hide my profile from all Searches” tick box to avoid receiving requests they are unable to respond to.
7.2 Professional Conduct and Supervision
Therapists agree to protect and uphold the reputation and brand of PsyConnect.
Therapists are not obliged to accept any referrals from PsyConnect, just as PsyConnect is not obliged to ensure the therapist receives referrals.
You are required to engage in regular supervision, as mandated by your regulatory body.
7.3 Self-Employment Obligations
The Therapist Member will be working independently on a self-employed basis and individually responsible for the payment of their own taxes, national insurance, business expenses, professional membership fees, room/facility costs, professional indemnity, and all other costs directly or indirectly incurred as a result of undertaking clinical work referred via PsyConnect.
The Therapist Member will be solely responsible for any liability, loss, or damage whatsoever arising in connection with the provision of the services under this agreement.
7.4 Legal and Insurance Compliance
The Therapist shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, any relevant industrial safety statutes, and all regulations made under these Acts.
Therapists must hold valid indemnity insurance, or take responsibility for any damages and/or losses incurred directly or indirectly by working in association with PsyConnect. The Therapist Member is therefore required to maintain evidence of individual professional indemnity in respect of all work referred to them through PsyConnect.

8. Feedback and Complaints
Feedback: PsyConnect encourages both clients and therapists to provide feedback on their experiences to ensure the highest standards of service.
Complaints: In the event of a complaint or concern about a therapist, PsyConnect will conduct an internal investigation. If necessary, PsyConnect reserves the right to remove the therapist from the platform and report them to the relevant regulatory body.

9. Data Protection and Confidentiality

Client Data: PsyConnect handles initial client contact details with strict confidentiality. Identifying personal information (name and contact details) of general enquiries will only be shared with therapists after they request the details and commit to contacting the client. If clients make a direct request to a therapist, their name will be visible, but contact details only after the therapist commits to contacting the client.

Therapist Data: Therapist personal and professional data (the data collected but not displayed on therapist profiles) is kept confidentially and securely in a purpose-built CMS. Some data is collected for dual purposes, for example, your date of birth is used for identity verification and to enable clients to search for professionals within specific age ranges. All data will be securely stored and processed in compliance with data protection laws.

Therapist Responsibility: Therapists are responsible for handling client data in compliance with GDPR regulations once they have made direct contact with the client.

10. Termination of Agreement
Termination by Either Party: Both PsyConnect and the therapist can terminate this agreement at any time by providing written notice.
Immediate Termination: PsyConnect may terminate the agreement without notice in cases of gross misconduct or system abuse by the therapist.
Removal from the Platform: Upon termination, the therapist’s profile will be removed from PsyConnect, and they will no longer have access to the members’ area or client enquiries.

Acceptance

By joining PsyConnect, you agree to the terms outlined in this Therapist Member Agreement and commit to maintaining the highest standards of professional conduct while using the platform and participating in the network community.