Frequently Asked Questions

  • Sometimes there is a lot going on in our heads and lives, maybe more than we feel we can cope with alone. Talking to someone who is trained to listen carefully and work alongside you to try and make sense of things can often help.

    Counsellors work in a variety of different ways but they will usually want to create a space where you feel you can talk freely about what is going on, without feeling judged or inhibited. I won’t be telling you what to do but instead opening up a conversation that works towards positive change. Whether you have had counselling before or you are coming to therapy for the first time, it is my job to meet you where you are now.

     I explain a little more about how I work here.

    You can find out more about how counselling works from the BACP here.

    Before you book an initial session, please get in touch if you have any questions.

  • The world of counselling can be quite confusing! There are lots of different counselling theories and approaches and this can often make the task of choosing a counsellor even more complex. Whilst there are distinct differences, sometimes it is more a case of differing emphasis or language more than anything else. You can find out more about the main approaches here.

  • Research continually demonstrates that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is more important in indicating good outcomes than the choice of therapeutic approach. Try to get a sense of how you think someone might approach working with you from looking at their website or listings and then having a brief conversation on the phone before committing to meeting them for a full session. What matters is how your counsellor works with you – does she listen accurately and empathically, respond sensitively and helpfully, feel able to challenge when necessary, does she actively collaborate with you on the goals that you have? This way of working is at the heart of my practice.

  • I offer Integrative counselling, which is the modality I was trained in. Integrative counselling can either be a selection from a number of approaches or a more structured integration of two or more counselling approaches. My integration takes as its base a strong Person-Centred Approach and then I will use either Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or a Psychodynamic approach to support the work we are doing.

  • Briefly put, Person-Centred means I work to your agenda, not mine, making sure the counselling process is empathic, non-judgemental and genuine. CBT uses more structured strategies and interventions to help monitor and change thoughts and behaviours whilst Psychodynamic therapy looks to past experiences and patterns of relating to help us understand better how we have developed as a person and how we might re-examine our selves now. The degree to which we will use any one of these theories will depend on you so I will work with you to create a counselling space which feels uniquely-tailored to meet you and your needs right now.

  • Most reputable counsellors will be a member of a professional organisation. There are several main ones, each representing different parts of the sector. In recent years they have come together to agree a joint framework so that clients can better understand the service they are paying for. Accreditation (known as ‘Column B’) across all the main professional bodies now means that a counsellor has attained a higher standard of knowledge, experience and development than the basic ‘Column A’ registered membership.

  • Counselling sessions all last for 50 minutes.

  • Usually, counselling takes place weekly. This is so that we can meet regularly to get to know one another and create a space that feels safe and supportive. If we have worked together for a while, we might space our sessions out a little more whilst we work towards an ending, but we would discuss this together first.

  • This is really up to you! There is no time limit on how long we might work together but if you can only commit to six or twelve weeks, for example, then let me know at the beginning and we will make sure the work we plan together can realistically be achieved in that time. Alternatively, if you are not sure how many sessions you may need and want to see how it goes, that is fine too – we will just review how things are going at regular intervals and you can choose when to end.

  • Counselling is not cheap it is true, but it can often represent a valuable investment in your own wellbeing. My fees are in line with many private practitioners but there are always low-cost options if you cannot afford private therapy. I aim to try and keep fees as low as possible.

  • Once the session is booked then you are committed to it but if you cancel earlier than 24 hours before then you will not need to pay the full fee. However, if you cancel less than 24 hours before the session is due to take place, then you will need to pay the full fee. This is to cover room hire costs and my time. I really want to welcome clients into my sessions, not collect fees for non-attendance so I urge all clients to let me know if there are any problems with either the sessions or the fee and we can discuss a way forward that works for you.

  • If you are feeling actively suicidal or are worried that you might not be able to keep yourself safe right now, please do not hesitate, contact your GP or your local Talking Therapies service. They will be able to offer you an assessment and help you decide how best to access support. You can also call the Samaritans on 116 123 who are well-placed to offer you support if you need to speak to someone today.

  • Contact me