Safeguarding & Professional Boundaries Policy
Last updated: August 2026
The Ayurveda Centre is committed to providing a safe, respectful and professional environment for clients, students and participants.
This policy applies to Ayurveda consultations, Ayurveda therapies, mindfulness sessions, yoga and movement practices, courses, workshops and online sessions provided by Elena Beurdeley.
1. A safe and respectful environment
Everyone participating in a service is expected to treat others with respect.
Discrimination, harassment, bullying, intimidation, threatening behaviour, sexual behaviour or other inappropriate conduct will not be accepted.
I reserve the right to end a session, refuse a booking or discontinue services where necessary to protect safety, wellbeing or professional boundaries.
2. Professional boundaries
My relationship with clients and participants is professional.
I maintain appropriate boundaries in relation to:
- physical contact
- communication
- confidentiality
- social media
- financial arrangements
- gifts
- personal relationships
Any physical contact used during an Ayurveda therapy or movement practice will be relevant to the service and appropriate to the circumstances.
A client or participant may ask for physical contact or a particular practice to stop at any time.
3. Ayurveda consultations
Ayurveda consultations are educational and wellbeing services informed by traditional Ayurvedic principles.
They are not medical consultations and do not replace care from a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional.
Where information shared during a consultation indicates that medical assessment or other specialist support may be appropriate, I may encourage the client to seek appropriate professional care.
I will not discourage a client from seeking medical care or from following treatment prescribed by their healthcare professional.
Herbal recommendations and follow-up
Any herbal recommendations are made within the context of an individual consultation and are intended to support wellbeing in accordance with traditional Ayurvedic principles.
Herbal recommendations are not intended to constitute medical prescribing or to replace medication or treatment prescribed by a qualified healthcare professional.
Herbal recommendations are not automatically renewed indefinitely. Where continued use, a change in circumstances, new symptoms or a change in medication may affect the appropriateness of a recommendation, I may recommend a follow-up consultation before continuing, changing or renewing it.
I do not provide ongoing herbal treatment management or clinical reassessment through WhatsApp or other messaging services. Messaging may be used for practical communication, such as arranging appointments or clarifying an existing recommendation, but it is not a substitute for a consultation.
Clients are encouraged to inform me of relevant changes in their health, medication or circumstances before continuing an herbal recommendation. Where appropriate, I may advise the client to consult their doctor, pharmacist or another qualified healthcare professional.
I may stock certain herbs or Ayurvedic products where particular products are difficult to source or where I have specific quality requirements. Clients are not required to purchase products from me in order to receive a consultation or other service.
4. Mindfulness and emotional wellbeing
Mindfulness and meditation practices can sometimes bring up difficult emotions or experiences.
I provide teaching and guidance within the scope of my training and professional role.
I do not present mindfulness as a replacement for psychotherapy, psychiatric care or other clinical mental-health treatment.
Where someone’s needs appear to fall outside my role or competence, I may recommend seeking support from an appropriately qualified professional.
5. Yoga and movement
Participants are encouraged to work within their own physical limits.
Participants should inform me of any relevant injuries, pregnancy, recent surgery or other circumstances that may affect their participation.
I may modify or stop a practice where I believe this is appropriate for safety.
Participants remain responsible for listening to their own bodies and respecting their individual limits.
6. Ayurveda therapies and touch
For body therapies, clear professional boundaries are particularly important.
Before a treatment begins, the nature of the session will be explained.
Clients may ask questions, request adjustments or stop the session at any time.
No sexualised or intimate behaviour forms part of an Ayurveda therapy.
Any inappropriate behaviour may result in the immediate termination of the session.
7. Confidentiality
Information shared during a consultation or session will normally be treated as confidential.
Confidentiality may need to be limited where:
- disclosure is required by law;
- there is a serious concern about someone’s immediate safety;
- a safeguarding concern requires appropriate action; or
- disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by applicable law.
Where appropriate and safe to do so, I will discuss significant concerns with the person involved before taking further action.
8. Safeguarding concerns
A safeguarding concern may arise where there is reason to believe that a child or vulnerable person may be experiencing abuse, neglect, exploitation or serious harm, or where there is an immediate concern about someone’s safety.
If I become aware of a serious safeguarding concern, I will take reasonable and proportionate steps to protect the person concerned and seek appropriate professional support where necessary.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include contacting an appropriate safeguarding service, healthcare professional, emergency service or other relevant authority.
Only information that is relevant and necessary will be shared, subject to applicable law.
9. Children and young people
The services offered by The Ayurveda Centre are primarily intended for adults.
Children and young people will not normally participate in an adult consultation, therapy, course or workshop unless a particular service has been specifically designed for them and appropriate arrangements have been made.
Where services involving children or young people are offered, appropriate parental or guardian consent and safeguarding arrangements will be established in advance.
10. Vulnerable adults
People may experience periods of increased vulnerability for many different reasons.
I will seek to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and will not knowingly exploit a person’s vulnerability.
Where a person’s needs are beyond the scope of my training or services, I may recommend appropriate specialist support.
11. Emergencies
The Ayurveda Centre is not an emergency medical or mental-health service.
If someone is experiencing an immediate medical, mental-health or safety emergency, they should seek urgent assistance from the appropriate emergency service or qualified professional.
For online sessions, I may not be physically present with a participant. Participants should therefore provide accurate contact information and should not use an online wellbeing session as a substitute for urgent care.
12. Professional competence
I work within the scope of my training, experience and professional competence.
I aim to maintain and develop my knowledge and skills through appropriate education, supervision and professional development.
I will not knowingly claim qualifications or professional competencies that I do not hold.
13. Concerns or complaints
If a client or participant has a concern about a service, professional boundary or safety issue, they are encouraged to contact me directly:
Concerns will be treated seriously and respectfully.
Where appropriate, I will review what happened, consider whether further action is required and make reasonable changes to prevent similar concerns from arising.
14. Relationship with other policies
This policy should be read alongside:
- the Terms & Conditions
- the Privacy Policy
The Privacy Policy explains how personal information and consultation records are handled.
The Terms & Conditions explain the conditions applicable to services, courses and workshops.
15. Review of this policy
This policy will be reviewed periodically and whenever there is a significant change to the services offered by The Ayurveda Centre or to relevant legal or professional requirements.
Elena Beurdeley
The Ayurveda Centre
105 Avenue de la Bourdonnais
75007 Paris, France