What is counselling?

Also known as talking therapy, counselling offers you the chance to explore your thoughts and feelings in a safe non-judgmental confidential space. You are the expert on you so sessions will be lead by you at a pace that feels comfortable. My job is to support you along this journey whilst building a working and trusting relationship helping you to facilitate change.

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How many sessions will I need?

The number of sessions is tailored to your requirements. There is no rush in the counselling process and we will work at your pace. You may find that you need a couple of sessions or it may be that you would benefit from sessions over the longer term. We will discuss a plan in our initial consultation which is a free 30 minute session which allows us to connect and see if we are a good fit for each other. If we decide to work together then we will review the process during our journey together so that we can make changes as needed.

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How often will I need to attend sessions?

Sessions are generally made weekly at the same time and day. This aids the therapeutic relationship by keeping structure and attention to the work being done.

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What will my first session be like? What should I expect?

The first session will start with me explaining our working contract and making sure that you fully understand what is expected for us to work together in a safe way. You will have received a copy of the contract before our first session giving you time to read, sign and return before we start to work together. Following this there will be time for any questions that you may have about what we have discussed. The rest of the session will be yours to share where you are at and what is concerning you. At the end of the first session, we will check in to see how you feel and there will be time to make our next appointment if you wish to continue with your sessions.

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What if I need to change or cancel a session?

If for any reason, I have to cancel the session I will aim to provide 48 hours’ notice and you will not be charged for the session. Likewise, I will expect 48 hours’ notice if you are unable to attend a session. After this time the session will be charged in full. If you are late attending the session, I will remain available for 15 minutes to allow for any eventualities. If you do not contact me within this time the session will be considered missed and will be cancelled. You will be charged in full for this session. If you are late attending your session, we will still end at the agreed time. I will be unable to carry out a session if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you will still be charged for this session.

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Does counselling work?

Working through our thoughts and feelings can be difficult and somewhat challenging at times. Sometimes we may feel worse before we feel better. This is a perfectly natural experience to have during counselling. We may notice things are taking time to change but it has been proven that counselling can help us to feel more in control of our lives.

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Is counselling confidential?

Confidentiality plays a big part in the counselling relationship, allowing to build trust between counsellor and client. There are circumstances when confidentiality may need to be broken. If there are reasons for me to believe that you are at risk, there are any safeguarding concerns or legal requirements. Confidentiality and the boundaries around this will be discussed in more details in the initial contracting explaining the implications for counsellor and client.

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I’m looking for a counsellor for someone else. Can you help?

I understand it can be difficult to see someone we care about in distress or struggling with their feelings, and you may think they would benefit from talking to someone. If you think we could be a good fit, please feel free to pass on my details so we can have a chat.

 

Are you in crisis?

If you need immediate help, in crisis or need to talk right now…

In an emergency:

• Call 999

• Go to your local A & E

If you are in a crisis and need to speak to someone

• Call NHS 111

• Contact your GP

Samaritans:  116 123 or 0330 094 5717

Alcoholics Anonymous:  0800 917 7650