Frequently Asked Questions
If you can’t find your question below feel free to contact me, and I’ll be happy to help.
Who is counselling for?
Counselling is not limited to any specific age group, culture or gender and can be helpful for children, adolescents, and adults. I have experience working with individuals ranging from 12 years of age to 80+. It is never too early to seek help, and certainly never too late.
Do I need counselling?
Counselling sessions can help you to gain clarity on an issue, change old patterns, untangle complex personal issues, or embark on a journey of self-development. You may seek counselling because of a crisis, or you may be encouraged to seek counselling by family members, friends or colleagues.
What issues can counselling help with?
Clients may present with different issues, including: anxiety, stress, depression, low self-esteem, bereavement, eating disorders, abuse trauma, the list is endless and may be in fact be a combination of issues. Counselling may be able to help clients make sense of this. Alternatively, clients may wish to look at their patterns of thought or are looking for a space in which they can offload.
How frequently will I need sessions?
This is very much your call. I suggest to start with sessions are weekly as this can help the relationship to build and can contribute to keeping you in a safe place, however, I am aware that everyone’s situations are different and it can be quite a commitment not only financially, but also in terms of schedules. Therefore, I also offer fortnightly/monthly sessions. At any point you can move between weekly/fortnightly/monthly as long as availability allows.
How many sessions will I need?
Again, this is your call. I offer open-ended counselling which means that we can continue with the process as long as you are getting some benefit from it. It is not my intention to keep you in counselling any longer than you require and I am happy to have open conversations about working towards an ending or goal setting from the off. If after one session you do not feel counselling is for you then we can end there and then, some may have a goal in mind of say 6-10 sessions, or if you felt it was something which may be useful to you over a longer period of time then it is not uncommon for some to be engaged in the process for a number of years. At any point you can take a break from counselling.
How do I know which counsellor is right for me?
This is an extremely important aspect of the work. The fit needs to be right for you which is why I begin with an assessment for each new client. This gives you the chance to see if you feel we would be a good fit going forward and to ask any questions you have about the work. This will also be an opportunity for me to explain I think we could work together, and gives us a chance to figure out if certain things need to be tailored or taken into consideration (for example schedules, neuro-diversity, past experiences of counselling etc).
Is counselling confidential?
Whilst confidentiality is an important part of counselling, there are limitations to this. If you were to disclose that you were at serious risk of harm then we would look together at getting you the support you need in that instance. There are also certain things which I would be obligated to report by law; money-laundering, drug-trafficking and terrorism. Confidentiality and its limitations will be explained in full to you at the assessment stage.
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