How do I get started?
If you’re interested in potentially working with me, or meeting to find out more, just send me a message on the contact page or give me a call.
You’ll probably have initial questions before you want to commit to anything, and I’m always happy to resolve any questions or queries via email or a free phone call.
When you feel ready to meet, we’ll arrange an initial 1-hour session, for us to talk about how my counselling works and what you want to get out of it. I won’t tie you into anything, so you can take your time choosing whether you would like to continue.
If so, we’ll make an arrangement for more regular sessions. My clients usually attend weekly or fortnightly, at the same day and time, but I can be flexible.
How do I pay?
It’s up to you. I take payment by credit/debit card via Stripe, or bank transfer before the session.
If you can’t make a scheduled appointment, please let me know as soon as you can. My cancellation policy is that payment is due if a session is cancelled with less than 48 hours notice.
When are you available?
I work daytimes from 8.45am Monday to Friday. For more info on my current availability, get in touch.
How can counselling help?
Counselling can be truly life changing. Starting counselling can be the most loving thing you ever do for yourself – and will benefit everybody in your life, too.
Counselling gives you, for the first time, a space to prioritise yourself, reflect and work towards a better life. There are so many things you can gain; the empowerment to make positive changes in your life, to self-confidence, improved relationships and communication, feeling more at ease and reduced anxiety, regain emotional balance, help you to say no when you want to, be kinder to yourself, to understand your needs better and how to meet them, improve your boundaries, resolve trauma or things holding you back, make sense of what is going on and to gain a new perspective, to accept and love yourself more, to support your wellbeing, and to find clarity.
But it’s also a bit like choosing a personal trainer to get fit. A counsellor can’t magic things better (unfortunately), just like a personal trainer can’t magic 2 stone away in your first session. You’ll have to put in some work and sometimes practise between sessions to get the best results. But don’t worry, I aim to work at a gentle pace that works for you without overwhelming you.
How long does it take? How many sessions might I need?
Much like the last question, how long will it take to get a 6-pack with your personal trainer? It varies person to person.
But if you are on a budget, you can let me know upfront how many sessions you think you might be able to afford and we can prioritise what we work on. I won’t tie you in or keep you coming for longer than you want to.
What I will do is give you tools to take away and help discover what is underlying your depression or anxiety, so that the work we do really targets your personal triggers and gives you lasting change.
Usually I work in an open-ended way where you choose how long you come for – stopping whenever you want to. I’ll check regularly with you how it’s going and if you’re getting what you want. I just ask that when you would like to stop, we have a final session to reflect on your progress and what your next steps might be.
Does counselling make you feel better, or worse?
Honestly, the answer is both. Long-term, counselling helps you to feel much happier, discover a stronger sense of self and know how to manage your emotions.
But short-term, there can be a price to pay. Opening yourself up to the thoughts and feelings you’ve ignored can be quite painful.
It’s a bit like walking into a dusty unused room with covers all over the furniture. When you pull the covers off, dust is thrown around the room. The dust was there already, but by moving things around you disturb it. WIthout some cleaning up, the room was only going to stay unused and become dustier. But once you clean up the dust, you can begin to use the room properly, as intended.
Everyone is different in their experiences. But only through looking at things, making sense of them and working through your feelings can growth and healing happen. It’s not always an easy process, but most people look back and are so glad they did.
Where are you based?
I no longer offer face to face appointments, so all sessions take place online via Zoom.
How do I choose the right counsellor for me?
It’s really important that you find someone who you feel comfortable to work with, or you won’t get the best out of your counselling experience. Not every counsellor will be right for you. I would much rather you find the right person for you, even if it isn’t me!
You might want to look at a few websites and get a feel for what is on offer and whether you connect with the words and the sound of the person. Do they work in the areas you feel you need help with? On a practical level, are they convenient to get to, is their pricing something you can afford weekly or fortnightly?
Some people like to meet with a few people to choose one. It might feel like a lot of money to do this, but can save you money in the long-term if it means tiny don’t want to switch counsellors down the line if you’re not progressing.
I offer an initial session where you can meet and discuss what you are hoping to get from counselling, and whether what I can offer is appropriate. This gives you a chance to get a feel for how well we would work together.
If you’re not sure if you’re ready to choose me, we can have a 15 minute phone call for free, where you can ask any questions you might have. You can either ring me or message me to let me know you’d like to talk and I’ll arrange to call you at a convenient time.