Frequently asked questions (Counselling)

I will send you a counselling agreement form by email, to read and complete before your first session.

You don't need to do anything else in advance of your first session. Just come as you are and I will take you as I find you. It is natural to feel apprehensive before your first session, I remember my first therapy session! You will be very welcome. 

Your first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other. It will last 50-60 minutes. You can tell me about what it was that made you decide to come for counselling and we will discuss how counselling may help you. 

There is no right or wrong way to 'do' it. Everyone has different needs, and the first session will help give us both an idea of what yours are. 

If you are having an online or phone session, I would suggest you find a safe, private place to talk, where you cannot be overheard. The less interruption and distraction there is for you, the more you are likely to benefit from the session. 

It really depends on what it is you would like to achieve through counselling.  People attend counselling for varying lengths of time, from 6-8 weeks to many months and longer. 

I would strongly urge you commit to at least 4 sessions initially, as it is possible you may feel slightly worse before you feel better as various things come to the surface for you. It is important not to stop attending in those initial sessions if you want to be able to work through things.

We will discuss the amount of sessions you might have at your first session and have regular reviews if therapy proceeds past 6 weeks. 

No. Offering advice is not something I do. The discussions we have during counselling sessions will be aimed at helping you understand what is going on for you as an individual and to look at what might be best for you in your current circumstances. You will be encouraged to look at the different options you have, and together we work through them to find the right one for you.

If I were to offer advice it would only be my opinion, and it may not be right for you.

No! All of what we do takes place during your counselling sessions. You may think about things yourself in between sessions, and you may choose to do your own research or homework, but I will not set you any specific tasks.  

Messaging or emailing in between sessions is only for things such as scheduling, or practical matters such as you letting me know if you are running late for example. In general, it is best to wait until your next session to discuss anything else. If you have something you feel you can't wait to talk about, it might be an idea to write it down and bring it with you to your scheduled session.

However, if you really feel it is important to let me know something in advance of your next session, then of course you can let me know. I will read it in full, but please bear in mind, however, that I may not be able to reply in full, although I will do my best to acknowledge receiving it. 

If you are in crisis and need immediate support, please do not contact me in the first instance. 

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The counselling agreement is just between you and me, therefore I would ask that you attend the session without anyone else present. 

Counselling is about you and your experiences. It is a space for you be yourself. Whilst those close to you may care about you very much, when you are around them you may, without realising it, alter the way you say things. Having someone else with you during a session can be counter-productive.

If you really feel you need to bring someone along, for example if you were feeling nervous about your first session, then I would suggest they can be part of your session for the first 5-10 minutes while you settle in and become comfortable. However, therapy won't begin until after they have left. 

If you feel unable to attend a session alone, I would be happy to discuss with you whether or not this was the right thing for you at this time. 

For online video sessions, I suggest Google Meet as this is a safe, secure and private platform. You can connect on a pc, laptop or smartphone. I will simply send you a meeting link by email on the morning of your appointment which you simply click at the time of your scheduled session to connect. 

If you prefer to use a different platform to Google Meet, I'd be open to using a different one if you'd prefer it, just mention it beforehand.

If you'd prefer not to talk using video, there is always the option of having a telephone session. Comments have been positive about telephone sessions, they can be a very personal experience, with the focus being entirely on the therapeutic conversation. 

You can have sessions with video or without, and you may decide to change from one to the other at any time and for any reason. 

I will accept you NO MATTER WHAT you tell me. I will never judge you regardless of any differences between us. I encourage you to be as open and honest about your feelings and circumstances as you feel you can be so that we can work together to help get you to wherever it is you would like to be. 

Research has shown that the most successful results gained from counselling happen when a there is trust between a client and counsellor. The more honest you can be with me about what you are thinking, feeling and going through, the more you will gain from counselling. It is for this reason I feel it is important that as an established and experienced counsellor, you know you can trust me and be honest with me without any fear of judgement or analysis.  

No. I have experience working as a children's counsellor in schools and colleges, and privately. However, this is not the focus of my work at this moment in time. If you are looking for counselling for children, I would be happy to offer you recommendations. 

The content of your sessions will remain confidential, yes, and whatever you tell me will be treated without judgement and with great respect.  I will never share your personal information.
There are some exceptions to this confidentiality, which I will explain in our first meeting. 

I'm available for daytime appointments from Monday to Thursday. 

My availability changes on a daily basis! I will endeavour to see you as soon as possible. 

Simply contact me and let me know when you are available for an appointment (the more options you give me the better) and I'll be back in touch to offer you a date and time that suits us both. If I'm available straight away I'll see you straight away! I'm currently available during daytime hours.