Terms and Conditions - Harley Street Addiction Specialist

Terms and Conditions

Last updated: 13 August 2026

These terms set out the basis on which Stuart Downing, trading as Harley Street Addiction Specialist, provides hypnotherapy, psychotherapy and related services. Booking an appointment means you accept them.

1. About the practice

Harley Street Addiction Specialist is a private, outpatient practice at 1 Harley Street, London, W1G 9QD, led by Stuart Downing.

Stuart is a DMH Master Hypnotist and DHyp Clinical Hypnotherapist, holds qualifications in NLP (CPNLP), clinical psychotherapy (MNACHP), EMDR and PSY-Tap, and holds an Enhanced DBS certificate. He is registered with the General Hypnotherapy Register and is a member of more than fifteen professional bodies.

2. What this service is — and what it is not

This is important, so it is set out plainly.

  • Hypnotherapy and psychotherapy are complementary therapies. They are not a substitute for medical treatment, and Stuart Downing is not a medical doctor.
  • No diagnosis is given, and no medication is prescribed or altered. Never stop or change prescribed medication without speaking to your GP or prescriber.
  • Therapy is a collaborative process. Outcomes depend on your circumstances and your engagement with the work, and no particular outcome is or can be guaranteed.
  • This is not a crisis or emergency service. If you are in crisis, contact your GP, call 111, call the Samaritans free at any hour on 116 123, or in an emergency call 999.
  • If your situation needs medical input — for example, alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal, which can be dangerous without supervision — you will be told, and you may be asked to involve your GP before therapeutic work begins.

3. Free consultation

An initial 30-minute telephone consultation is offered at no charge. Its purpose is to understand your situation and establish whether this approach is suitable. It carries no obligation on either side, and it is not therapy.

4. Payment terms

Payment is taken in advance of the first appointment or a package of sessions. This can be done via bank transfer, PayPal, or Standing Order Mandate.

5. Cancellations

If you are unable to keep your appointment, it is essential that you cancel your appointment by email confirmation at least 48 hours in advance, with written confirmation from myself regarding the change of date. Failure to obtain written confirmation will result in a cancelled appointment charge.

6. Opening hours

  • Monday to Friday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
  • Saturday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
  • Sunday: by appointment only

Messages left outside these hours are answered on the next working day.

7. Your responsibilities as a client

  • Give accurate and complete information about your health, including any diagnoses, medication, and any other treatment you are receiving.
  • Tell Stuart if your circumstances or medication change during your programme.
  • Arrive on time. Sessions cannot usually be extended to make up for a late start.
  • Do not attend a session under the influence of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs. Sessions may be ended where this occurs.
  • For online sessions, arrange a private, quiet space and a stable internet connection.
  • Neither party may record a session without the other’s prior written consent.

8. Confidentiality

Sessions are confidential, subject to the limited exceptions set out in the Privacy Policy — principally serious risk of harm, a legal requirement or court order, and safeguarding. Anonymised material may be discussed in clinical supervision, which is a condition of professional registration.

9. Website content and testimonials

Information on this website is general and is not personalised advice. Testimonials describe individual experiences and are not a prediction of what will happen for you. All content is © Harley Street Addiction Specialist and may not be reproduced without permission.

10. Liability

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for anything else that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited. Subject to that, liability arising out of the services is limited to the total fees you have paid.

11. Complaints

If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service, please raise it directly in the first instance by emailing stuart@harleystreetaddictionspecialist.co.uk. Most concerns are resolved quickly that way.

If the matter is not resolved, you may refer it to the General Hypnotherapy Register, whose complaints procedure is published at general-hypnotherapy-register.com.

12. Governing law and changes to these terms

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer.

These terms may be updated. The version in force is the one published here on the date you book. Current clients will be told directly about material changes.