Terms & Conditions
The Stop Smoking Clinic
These Terms & Conditions apply to services provided by The Stop Smoking Clinic.
By booking an appointment, paying a deposit, making a payment, using the pre-session materials, or attending a session, you agree to these Terms & Conditions.
Please read them carefully before booking.
Practitioner information
The Stop Smoking Clinic is run by Michael Pengelly.
Michael is an experienced hypnotherapist and hypnotherapy trainer. He is an accredited hypnotherapist and hypnotherapy trainer with the American Board of Hypnotherapy, also referred to as the ABH.
Michael was certified in hypnotherapy through the National Guild of Hypnotists, also referred to as the NGH. This certification remains part of his professional training background. Michael is no longer registered with the NGH or the General Hypnotherapy Register, also referred to as the GHR.
The Stop Smoking Clinic provides stop smoking support using hypnosis, NLP, relaxation, guided mental exercises, and practical change techniques.
Nature of the service
The Stop Smoking Programme is designed to help clients stop smoking by working with habits, routines, triggers, thoughts, beliefs, and associations connected with smoking.
Hypnosis is a focused and relaxed state of attention. It is not sleep, unconsciousness, or mind control. During hypnosis, you remain aware and in control.
The Stop Smoking Clinic does not provide medical treatment, medical diagnosis, psychiatric treatment, counselling, psychotherapy, or advice to stop or change prescribed medication.
Michael Pengelly is not acting as a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, counsellor, or licensed healthcare provider.
If you require medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or support with medication, you should speak with your GP or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Suitability for the programme
The Stop Smoking Programme is intended for clients who have made a genuine decision to stop smoking.
You are responsible for providing accurate and relevant information before and during your session. This includes, but is not limited to:
- any diagnosed physical or mental health condition
- epilepsy or seizure history
- psychosis or history of psychosis
- severe depression, suicidal thoughts, or self-harm concerns
- alcohol or substance dependency
- current medication
- pregnancy
- any medical advice you have received about stopping smoking
- any other issue that may affect your suitability for hypnosis or stop smoking support
The Stop Smoking Clinic reserves the right to refuse, postpone, or discontinue a session if it appears that the programme may not be suitable for you, or if another form of support may be more appropriate.
If you are unsure whether the programme is suitable for you, please raise this before booking.
Client responsibility
The Stop Smoking Programme is a collaborative process.
You are responsible for your own decisions, actions, commitment, and participation before, during, and after the session.
You agree to follow reasonable instructions given as part of the programme, including listening to the pre-session relaxation recording as advised, attending your appointment on time, and engaging with the session in good faith.
The Stop Smoking Clinic cannot take responsibility for choices you make after the session, including whether you smoke, vape, use nicotine products, or follow any aftercare guidance.
Pre-session relaxation recording
Before your stop smoking session, you may be given access to a pre-recorded relaxation audio.
This recording is provided as preparation for your session. It is designed to help you become familiar with relaxing, focusing your attention, and following guided suggestions.
The recording is not a substitute for the full Stop Smoking Programme and should not be treated as the stop smoking treatment itself.
You should only listen to the recording when it is safe to relax fully. Do not listen while driving, operating machinery, supervising children, or doing anything that requires your attention.
The recording is provided for your personal use only. It must not be copied, shared, sold, published, uploaded, distributed, or used by anyone else without written permission.
Results and guarantees
No guarantee is made that you will stop smoking, remain smoke-free, or achieve any specific result.
Many people experience positive change through hypnosis and related techniques, but results vary from person to person.
Your outcome may depend on factors including your readiness to stop, your personal circumstances, your level of commitment, your smoking history, your emotional state, and how smoking is connected to your life.
The Stop Smoking Programme is not a miracle cure and should not be viewed as a guaranteed treatment.
Free backup session
The Stop Smoking Programme includes one free backup session within 12 months of the date of your original stop smoking session.
The backup session is provided as additional support if you need help getting back on track within that 12-month period.
The free backup session:
- must be used within 12 months of your original stop smoking session
- is limited to one session
- cannot be exchanged for cash, credit, or a refund
- cannot be transferred to another person
- is only available to the original client
- is subject to appointment availability
- may be refused if The Stop Smoking Clinic considers that another form of support would be more appropriate
If you do not use the backup session within 12 months, it expires automatically.
Fees and payment
The fee for the Stop Smoking Programme will be confirmed before booking.
Payment options may include:
- payment in full at the time of booking
- payment in agreed stages before the appointment
- payment by deposit, with the remaining balance due on the day of the session
Where staged payments or deposit payments are agreed, the payment arrangement must be confirmed before your appointment.
The full programme fee must be paid before your stop smoking session begins.
If payment has not been received in full before the session is due to start, The Stop Smoking Clinic reserves the right to delay, refuse, or cancel the session.
Cancellations, rearrangements and refunds
All payments made towards the Stop Smoking Programme are non-refundable. This includes deposits, staged payments, part-payments, and full payments.
If you need to rearrange your appointment, please give as much notice as possible.
A minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required to cancel or rearrange an appointment.
If you cancel, rearrange, or fail to attend with less than 24 hours’ notice, the full programme fee will remain payable.
If you have paid a deposit and cancel, rearrange, or fail to attend with less than 24 hours’ notice, the remaining balance will still be due.
If you arrive late, your session may still need to finish at the original scheduled end time.
If you arrive more than 20 minutes late, this may be treated as a missed appointment, and the full programme fee will remain payable.
These terms apply because your appointment time is reserved specifically for you, and short-notice cancellations or missed appointments are difficult to offer to another client.
Refusal or discontinuation of service
The Stop Smoking Clinic reserves the right to refuse, postpone, or discontinue a session where necessary.
This may include, but is not limited to, situations where:
- the service appears unsuitable for you
- you have not provided relevant health or suitability information
- you appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- your behaviour is abusive, threatening, inappropriate, or unsafe
- payment has not been made as agreed
- continuing the session would not be in your best interests
You also have the right to refuse or stop the session at any time.
Confidentiality
Information shared during your enquiry or session will be treated confidentially.
Confidentiality may be broken where required by law, or where there is a serious concern about risk of harm to you or another person, safeguarding, abuse, terrorism, money laundering, or another legal obligation.
Client information may be stored securely for administrative, professional, insurance, and legal purposes.
The Stop Smoking Clinic will not sell your personal information to third parties.
Further details about how personal information is collected, used, stored, and protected are set out in the Privacy Policy.
Session notes and records
Brief notes may be kept about your enquiry, suitability, appointment, and session.
These records are kept for professional, administrative, insurance, and legal purposes.
You may request access to personal information held about you, subject to applicable data protection laws.
Recordings
Sessions are not routinely recorded.
If a session is to be recorded for any reason, this will only be done with your knowledge and consent unless recording is required for legal or safety reasons.
Any recording will be stored securely and will not be shared without your consent, except where required by law.
Online sessions
Where online sessions are offered, you are responsible for ensuring that you have:
- a stable internet connection
- a suitable device with audio and video
- a quiet, private space where you will not be disturbed
- enough time to complete the session without interruption
You should not attend an online session while driving, travelling, supervising children, or doing anything else that requires your attention.
The Stop Smoking Clinic is not responsible for issues caused by your internet connection, device, environment, or interruptions at your location.
Communication
The Stop Smoking Clinic may contact you by email, phone, text message, or another agreed method regarding your enquiry, booking, payment, preparation materials, appointment, or follow-up.
You are responsible for providing accurate contact details and checking your messages, including your junk or spam folder.
Complaints
If you have a concern or complaint about the service you have received, please contact The Stop Smoking Clinic directly so that the issue can be reviewed and, where possible, resolved.
Complaints should be raised in writing and should include details of your concern, the date of the relevant session or communication, and what outcome you are seeking.
Intellectual property
All written materials, audio recordings, preparation materials, website content, and programme materials provided by The Stop Smoking Clinic remain the intellectual property of The Stop Smoking Clinic or Michael Pengelly unless otherwise stated.
You may use materials provided to you for your own personal use only.
You must not copy, reproduce, share, publish, sell, teach, distribute, upload, or adapt these materials without written permission.
Limitation of liability
The Stop Smoking Clinic provides professional stop smoking support using hypnosis and related change techniques.
You agree that you are responsible for your own choices, behaviour, health decisions, and actions after the session.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, The Stop Smoking Clinic will not be liable for any indirect, consequential, or financial loss arising from your use of the service.
Nothing in these Terms & Conditions excludes liability where it would be unlawful to do so.
Changes to these terms
The Stop Smoking Clinic may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time.
The version in place at the time of your booking will normally apply to your appointment unless a change is required by law or agreed with you.
Contact details
The Stop Smoking Clinic
Run by Michael Pengelly
Website: https://www.thestopsmokingclinic.co.uk
Email: info@thestopsmokingclinic.co.uk
Telephone: 0845 224 3078
Location: Bideford, and on occasions Barnstaple, North Devon