Fully Qualified BACP Registered Counsellor

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FAQ's

Do I need to see a Counsellor?
Many people hesitate about seeing a counsellor – they may believe that their problems are too insignificant or they worry that talking won’t help and that they should be able to sort their problems out by themselves.  Many people also quite naturally do not know what to expect from counselling and they hesitate to seek help for this reason.  Yet the reality is that everyone experiences difficult periods at one time or another and a significant amount of people seek help from a counsellor or psychotherapist at some point in their lives.      

This may have been triggered by a specific event such as a bereavement or job loss, or a series of events, or for some, it may seem as though life has suddenly caught up with them.  For others, there is no apparent specific problem and yet suddenly they feel as though life lacks a purpose for them.  In other instances, people may be struggling with ongoing issues relating to low self esteem, poor health, depression or anxiety where the root cause does not seem clear.   

How can counselling help?
Counselling helps in two main ways.  It provides a unique opportunity for people to speak in confidence with an objective person outside of their day-to-day environment, who can give his/her undivided attention to whatever is troubling them.  Furthermore, a counsellor is trained to be receptive to what is going on and to know when and how to ask the right questions.  The combined experience of really being listened to, together with the gradual gaining of new insight into their difficulties, provides people with an opportunity to approach things in a different way.  

Counselling does not involve giving direct advice as a counsellor is trained to help you arrive at your own informed decisions and find your own answers.  Furthermore, a counsellor cannot make you feel better.  However, (s)he can accept and support you in whatever you are feeling and help you move on from this in your own time.  Ultimately, one of the aims of counselling is to help you become more fulfilled, either within yourself or in certain aspects of your life.  This will mean different things for different people and part of my role as a counsellor is to help you make sense of your particular issue and the personal meaning you place on this and to help you find new options in the way you relate to yourself, other people or situations.  It is co-operative process, in which both client and counsellor work together to find more fulfilment for you as the client.

Is counselling confidential?
Yes, absolutely. Confidentiality is of utmost importance in counselling.  It is only in exceptional circumstances that I would seek a client’s agreement to break confidentiality.  I adhere to the code of ethics for confidentiality set down by my professional body, the BACP (British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists)

What are my Fees and how long is each session?
The cost of each 1hr session is £25.

Why am I being charged £25 for my first session when you are advertising a free 30 min?
The Free 30 Minute session is a promotion that is being advertised and will only apply to those people that clarify and quote this option prior to making an appointment.

What is the next stage?
Our first meeting will be a consultation to assess the issues the client wants to work with and to ensure that we are comfortable with each other moving forward. At this stage the client is under no obligation to continue but there will be a consultation fee. If the client decides to enter into an agreement, times, cancellations and confidentiality are discussed.

How do I cancel an appointment?
If you need to cancel appointments please notify me within 24 hours and I will try to accommodate you with a rescheduled appointment. Any missed or cancelled appointment with less than 24 hours will be charged in full.

How do you keep a record of our session?
Counselling ethos is about confidentiality. In the first instance the client and counsellor reach an agreement and a contract is formed. The counsellor makes notes on the session but the client is not identifiable in the notes and all clients files are kept safe.

When are you available?
I am available Monday to Friday during the day and some evenings.

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