Supervision FAQs

Vanessa offers clinical supervision for those in helping professions who work with children and/or adults; including psychotherapists and counsellors, as well as others such as yoga therapists, forest school practitioners, eco-therapists and coaches.

Individual sessions are available in-person in Staveley near Kendal indoors or outdoors, or online (Zoom)

Group sessions available in-person in Staveley near Kendal indoors or outdoors, or online (Zoom). You can get in touch to wait for a group to come together or let me know that a group that you are already a part of would like sessions.

Sliding Scale

How the sliding scale works

Based on principles of economic justice, the fee supervisees pay is proportionate to what they have available. Those with more financial capacity support those with less capacity to access therapy. The scale takes into account variations in both income and financial outgoings (for example subsidised rent, such as housing benefit, would mean you had less outgoings than average; and unsubsidised medical expenses might mean you had more outgoings than average).

My sliding scale is based on the ‘Green Bottle’ sliding scale devised by Alexis Cunningfolk and the wording used by the RTN membership sliding scale.

  • I work on a basis of trust and do not ask for proof of income. However, as this sliding scale is offered in a spirit of generosity, my request is that supervisees use it honestly.

  • There is an allocated number of slots available for each band. This allows me to offer accessible supervision whilst also ensuring the sustainability of my practice and appropriately valuing my time and professional abilities, as well as covering my professional overheads.

  • If your circumstances change and you need to move bands, please let me know and I will see if there is space available in that band.

  • There is routinely more demand for lower slots than higher. Whilst I encourage anyone who needs a lower price slot to take it, if you take up a slot at a lower rate that slot will not then be available to someone else who may not be able to afford supervision without it. Please also consider this if your circumstances change during your therapy journey. If you wish to change fee band to allow someone else to access it, please let me know.

  • Once you start supervision you will be committed to paying for it on a regular basis. If the supervision I offer is beyond your budget, I would be happy to talk through with you organisations and other supervisors which may offer more affordable alternatives.

  • If you can ask others for financial support, such as family members or partners, please consider using those personal resources before you use the resources of the sliding scale.

  • If a third party, such as an organisation or charity, is paying for therapy, the rate is based on the third party’s financial capacity, which is usually Band A or B.

  • Give 48 hours notice (2 working days) if you need to cancel an appointment, otherwise, the fee will be charged for the missed session. For less than 7 days notice of cancelling a session (but more than 48h), there is a cancellation charge of £12.

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Sliding Scale

Please read through the ‘Sliding Scale’ section below and decide a band that best matches your circumstances. This should be the category where you have a sense you fall, however, you do not need to agree with every statement. Differences between the bands are in italics. Please note my fees are reviewed and revised annually.

*basic needs include food, housing, clothing, and transportation.

BAND A

The Band A price is the actual cost of the session. If you choose a price below this tier, you are receiving a discount. Some of these examples won’t be applicable to you, and likely not all of them will be accessible to you, but hopefully will help you to get a feel of what constitutes this band:

  • I am able to meet my basic needs (food, housing, health care, and transportation) all the time (though that might mean buying the lower-priced food options or skipping a luxury).

  • I do/ could own or lease a car

  • I am employed and/or have a regular income (such as a wage or benefits)

  • If work part-time, it is by choice (e.g. chosen to be a student or chosen to work part-time; If I am a student I have chosen not to also work to supplement my income. )

  • I have access to some financial savings or assets and/or I am able to ask others for financial support, such as family members or partners.

  • I have some disposable income. E.g. I could eat out at a cafe weekly, or go out for coffee, or could weekly pay for activities, such as yoga class or the cinema, or could monthly buy new clothes/ books.

  • I can afford an annual holiday or to take time off

BAND B (concession/ reduced fee)

The middle price is a reduced fee, for those who are able to meet their basic needs but have little-to-no expendable income. Paying for the sessions may qualify as a sacrifice but it would not create hardship. Some of these examples won’t be applicable to you, and likely not all of them will be accessible to you, but hopefully will help you to get a feel of what constitutes this band:

  • I may stress about meeting my basic needs (food, housing, health care, and transportation) but still regularly achieve them

  • I am employed and/or have a regular income (such as a wage or benefits).

  • If work part-time, it is by choice (e.g. chosen to be a student or chosen to work part-time or chosen a particular field of work and not supplemented from another field)

  • I might have access to a little financial savings and/or I am unable to ask others for financial support, such as family members or partners in times of need.

  • I have a little expendable income. E.g. in a month, I could once or twice eat out at a cafe, or go out for coffee, or could monthly pay to go to an activity, such as yoga class or the cinema.

  • I am sometimes able to buy some new items & I thrift others

  • I do/ could own or lease a car

  • I could afford to take a holiday every few years

BAND C (concession/ reduced fee)

The lower price is a reduced fee for those who struggle to meet basic needs and paying for the sessions would be a significant hardship. Some of these examples won’t be applicable to you, and likely not all of them will be accessible to you, but hopefully will help you to get a feel of what constitutes this band:

  • I frequently stress about meeting basic needs (food, housing, health care, and transportation) & don’t always achieve them

  • I am unemployed or underemployed and have a very unstable income (I do not receive a regular wage or benefits; not by choice, including not chosen to be a student or not chosen to work part-time)

  • I have no access to any savings and/or I am unable to ask others for financial support, such as family members or partners.

  • I have no or very limited expendable income.
    E.g. in a month, I could rarely go out for coffee, or could rarely pay to go to events or activities, such as yoga class or the cinema.

  • I rarely buy new items because I am unable to afford them

  • I hold marginalised identities that impact upon access to money.

  • I do not have a car and/or have limited access to a car, but I am not often able to afford fuel.

  • I cannot afford a holiday/ do not have the financial ability to take time off every few years

Whilst I endeavor to offer accessible supervision, I am limited in this as a freelance therapist and supervisor.

Band C slots are limited. This allows me to offer accessible supervision whilst also ensuring the sustainability of my practice and appropriately valuing my time and professional abilities, as well as covering my professional overheads. Mutual Aid funding could potentially open additional slots for this band, which at the moment is very rare. Please find more information here if you would like to contribute to that pot.

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