Frequently Asked Questions
If you are considering seeking a counsellor, this can feel daunting, and understandably you may feel anxious if this is new to you. With this in mind, it may be helpful to have an idea of what you can expect from counselling to help you feel less nervous and more comfortable.
Are you struggling with a situation in life, which is causing you to experience distress and need some help? Would you like to improve your relationships? Do you want someone to talk to who will listen to you without judgment?
If you are considering counselling undoubtedly you will have questions, these may include…
Our 15 minute free telephone consultation, or face to face meeting (not charged for) will provide us with a space to explore your specific circumstances, which have brought you to this point. We will also gain a feel for each other and consider if we would like to work with each other.
I will be alongside you to explore what is causing you to experience difficult and distressing life events, such as relationship difficulties, bereavement or abuse. This frequently leads to experience medical conditions such as depression or an anxiety. Counselling can also improve the quality of physical symptoms such as poor-quality sleep or panic attacks. Stress can contribute to a range of physically linked conditions, such as frequent headaches or migraines.
I’m an Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) which is the largest professional body representing counselling and psychotherapy in the UK. Being a Registered Member of BACP demonstrates that my credentials and fitness to practise have been checked and approved by an independent professional body. I hold a current DBS – Police check, alongside holding professional indemnity insurance.
I am experienced and have received training to be able to work with children, adolescents, and adults.
The space will be yours to to express whatever you wish openly, I will be here to listen to you very carefully, without judgement however with empathy. You will no longer be alone with whatever is causing you distress.
I able to draw from a broad range of theoretical approaches, including humanistic, psychodynamic and cognitive therapy. In addition, I work from an existential perspective, which permits me to include the “givens of life,” which are inevitable as human beings to question life events and experiences. I can tailor my way of working to meet your needs in a holistic and individual way.
- Individual counselling costs £68 per one hour session or a 50 minute session £60
- Couple counselling costs £80 per one hour session
- Discernment counselling £160 per two hour session
Counselling tends to be weekly, however this depends on your circumstances and can be twice weekly or on a fortnightly basis. The length of therapy is also dependent on what your difficulty is and how deeply rooted, it may be.
Confidentiality is an important aspect of counselling, ensuring that whatever you share with me remains between us. However, there are exceptions:
If you or someone else is in serious danger, I am legally bound to break confidentiality and take necessary action to prevent harm. The Terrorism Act (2000) and Drug Trafficking Act (1994) also require me to disclose any information that might be relevant to the investigation of terrorism or drug trafficking. I have regular supervision to improve my skills as a counsellor and offer the best possible support to you. During supervision, I may discuss our work together, but I will never reveal any identifying features.
I keep notes of our sessions, but I only see these, and they are stored securely.
Please let me know as soon as you can if you will be unable to make one of your counselling sessions. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice are chargeable in full.