FAQs

Reaching out for counselling can be a big step that is full of uncertainty and anxiety of the unknown. Being more informed helps you to be able to feel more at ease to contact a counsellor for the first time.

Here are some frequently asked questions

Will my sessions be confidential?

Confidentiality is essential in counselling; you want to be certain that anything you disclose stays between yourself and your counsellor. The material within your sessions is always confidential and will stay between you and your counsellor.

• However, in exceptional circumstances, confidentiality may be broken. This would include if there was good reason to believe you or another person were at a real risk of serious harm. Or risk of harm to a child or vulnerable adult.

• As your counsellor I would always try to discuss this with you first and endeavour to gain your permission before taking any action if deemed necessary. The breaking of confidentiality is always done with the best interests of the client or another person.

• Counsellors are also required by their professional organisation to undergo ongoing supervision where they may take relevant issues from their work with them. Care is always taken to preserve your anonymity and supervisors are bound by the same ethical confidentiality.

Supervision is a valuable way of "checking in" with a more experienced practitioner, thus supporting and ensuring counsellors stay grounded, maintain professional and ethical boundaries, develop their knowledge, both theoretically and practically. Supervision ensures counsellors are working ethically and in the best interests of their clients and is required as part of their ethical practice.

Confidentiality is essential in counselling.

How often will sessions be?

Sessions are usually scheduled on a weekly basis as this helps to build the therapeutic relationship.

• Seeing your counsellor regularly lets you get to know each other, build trust and connection enabling you to feel more at ease and comfortable.

• The momentum of the therapeutic process is important to progress, and weekly sessions maximises the effectiveness of therapy.

• This is especially relevant in the initial stages of counselling. it enables more focus and makes it easier to pick up where you finished the previous week.

Everyone is individual with individual needs and circumstances, so tailoring sessions to meet your needs is always paramount to counselling. That may mean you would prefer fortnightly sessions or once a month.

How Many Sessions Will You Need

• The number of required sessions depends on individual needs.

• Some people find that talking about their concerns over a couple of sessions, or even one, is enough for them is see clearer and set them in the right direction.

Some clients focus on one aspect and will finish counselling when that is achieved. 6 to 8 sessions are often classed as short-term counselling.

• Other clients wish to work through past experiences or several different issues as they arise during therapy and have an open-ended long term approach.

• You will always be in control of the number of sessions that you have.

Most people gain a sense of when they have achieved their aim from counselling, and you and your counsellor can plan an ending together as and when the time arises.

You can decide to finish your counselling at any time and will be under no pressure to rebook or continue. Counselling can be extremely beneficial; however, it is not a quick fix solution, it often takes time and commitment. But the benefits can last a lifetime.

How Can Counselling Help?

• Counselling is empowering and validating, it can be the starting point for you to find your inner strengths and resources which lead to a sense of hope and possibility for the future.

• Helps to find strategies to cope with stress or anxiety, or ways of managing difficult emotions, leaving you in a calmer and more relaxed mindset.

•  Because you gain self-awareness of how your thoughts and feelings are potentially influencing you, recognising and altering limiting beliefs or behaviours becomes a possibility. Because this can lead to a sense of empowerment ,your self confidence can increase.

Qualified counsellors will be non-judgemental about you and your life experiences which makes talking easier and more comfortable.

Counsellors are skilled in dealing with and talking about difficult subject matters, so sharing sensitive or deep-rooted thoughts, feelings, or experiences feels less awkward.

Talking to a counsellor releases stress and emotional overload, helping to reduce anxiety and depression.

The supportive therapeutic relationship provides trust and safety to explore what is happening for you, or what has happened to you.

Present and past experiences can be freely spoken about at any time.

Being unconditionally accepted without judgement by your counsellor, enables you to speak as freely, openly, and as honestly as you wish too.

Often when you hear your own story, you're able to find a deeper understanding of yourself and experiences. You can untangle things and begin to see much clearer. With clarity comes the opportunity to change things that may be not be working well for you.

Being in the presence of a compassionate other enables you to express and explore the different layers of difficult emotions like anger, resentment, guilt, shame, low self-worth, or sadness. Processing your thoughts and feelings can highlight the root of a problem or help identify factors that may be contributing to your distress.

Uncomfortable or distressing experiences can be worked through and reflected on; with a deeper understanding being gained and different perspectives found. As your counsellor I will support you to explore any issues, difficult feelings, beliefs, behaviours or concerns you are facing. You can become more self-aware and achieve greater independence. Our supportive relationship will facilitate your ability to see your own behaviour, thoughts, feelings more clearly, and to develop your own personal goals in order to improve your well being. I will support you to be aware of your own strengths and unique nature in a more positive light. Eventually it will lead you to discover your own abilities and autonomy, so that you can cope with current and future problems.

Focusing and dedicating time for yourself is a beneficial part of selfcare, giving you the time and space, you need to work things through, find coping strategies if needed and begin to find your own solutions.

Where Will Your Sessions Take Place and For How long.

Your face-to-face sessions are held in my private garden office. I will greet you with a warm welcome at the front door of my house and walk you to my office. My office is a calm and confidential space designed for counselling purposes.

Sessions are 60mins long, however this is not set in stone and can be altered to meet your individual needs if required with prior agreement.