Coming soon
Clinical will for counsellors and therapists
A clinical will says who looks after your clients if you die or suddenly can’t work. Clarity’s keeps itself up to date: your executor gets your live client list only if it’s ever needed, and only after you’ve had the chance to say no.
Why now
From 3 November 2026, the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions (opens in new tab) asks every member to have a clinical will and a named clinical executor. BACP’s Good Practice in Action (opens in new tab) resources explain what one should cover.
Most clinical wills are a document in a drawer, and the client list in it goes out of date the week it’s written. Clarity already holds your clients and sessions, so the list your executor sees is always today’s. It’s built to help you meet BACP’s requirement.
How it will work
- Name your executor. A colleague or your supervisor, bound by the same confidentiality as you. Add a backup if you like.
- They agree online. We email them. They read what’s involved and agree to act, without needing a Clarity account.
- Say what you’d like done. Who to tell, where your other records are, and two messages for your clients: one if you’ve died, one if you can’t work for now.
- Locked until it’s needed. If your executor asks for your client list, we email you and wait 48 hours, 72 hours or 7 days, as you choose. Say no and nothing is shared.
- Then they can act. Your executor sends your message and cancels sessions, client by client. Every step is logged for you to see.
What your executor can and can’t see
- Your active clients’ names, email addresses and phone numbers.
- Their upcoming sessions.
- Your checklist and notes for them, such as your supervisor and insurer.
Never your session notes, forms, measures or payments. Access ends after 90 days.
Safe by design
- Your executor confirms it’s them with a code sent to their email and a passphrase they chose. Each time lasts an hour.
- You can say no from the email, or from a banner in Clarity, and remove your executor at any time.
- An access history shows everything your executor has done, and you’re emailed when they look.
- Once a year we check with your executor that they’re still happy to act, and remind you to look over your clinical will.
- Download a copy as a PDF to keep with your papers. It names no clients.
For counselling agencies
In an agency, the owner is each staff counsellor’s executor automatically. Staff still write their own wishes and client messages, and can still say no to a request. Everything is logged in the agency’s activity log too.
Common questions
Do counsellors need a clinical will?
From 3 November 2026, BACP’s Ethical Framework asks every member to have a clinical will and a named clinical executor. It says who looks after your clients if you die or suddenly can’t work.
When will Clarity’s clinical will be available?
It’s coming soon, on every plan. We’ll announce it on this page when it’s ready.
Can my executor read my session notes?
No. Your executor sees your active clients’ names, contact details and upcoming sessions. Never your notes, forms or payments.
What if my executor asks for access by mistake?
We email you straight away and wait before anything opens: 48 hours, 72 hours or 7 days, as you choose. Say no and nothing is shared.
Does my executor need a Clarity account?
No. They agree online through a secure link in their email, and confirm it’s them with a code and a passphrase before they see anything.
Is a clinical will the same as a legal will?
No. A clinical will is a professional arrangement for your clients. It doesn’t replace a legal will for your estate.