What to expect?
My approach is tailored to your therapeutic needs and way of working.
If you feel most comfortable with a space to talk, explore and be heard without rushing or interruption I can offer this. I offer thoughtful challenge to support you in understanding patterns and areas you feel stuck with so you can make changes. If a more creative approach works better for you I am equally comfortable finding the therapeutic balance using paper, pens, timelines, genograms and other creative aids such as picture cards and figurines or abstract ideas. I support focus with fidget items.
Our life experiences and personalities are unique, and so too is the therapy best matched to us. My approach can support you with your specific circumstances whether you want to avoid awkward silence at all costs or you feel pulled to sink into connected quiet. I’d be pleased to arrange a free video chat to begin the collaboration.
You might be feeling anxious or concerned about what counselling entails. Is therapy going to make me talk about things I don’t want to? Or, feeling you should be able to manage without counselling. I shared these concerns when I began my own counselling.
My role is to support you in exploring issues and difficulties which are getting in the way for you. You set the agenda, the pace and the way we work together. I’ve been the other side of the therapist’s chair too. I believe deeply in therapeutic benefit because I have my own lived experience of finding healing, freedom and meaningful change.
Frequently Asked Questions
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These terms can be used interchangeably. There is no agreed definition across the therapeutic profession. Therapy is often an umbrella term, containing other approaches within.
As a general guide, counselling can be taken to mean therapeutic support with issues and common mental health concerns affecting day to day life. Psychotherapy can be understood to be deeper, longer term therapeutic work.
I see my approach move flexibly between these, I often work deeply, over medium or longer term with clients, drawing on trauma informed practice. I can also offer counselling in the short term to support resolving issues such as transitions in work, home, relationships, life stages or with life’s stressors.
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Many people benefit from therapy, if you’re reading this it may be a sign it could be of benefit for you.
I often hear people say they aren’t sure if their experience or issues are “bad enough”, or they recognise other people may have “have it worse”. These comments make sense, especially as we tend to hear more about the extreme hardship and challenges around us.
If you’re experiencing low mood, lack of interest or feelings of pointlessness these could be signs that therapy might be useful for you. Traumatic experiences and early life challenges can stay with us for a long time, sometimes many years into our later years. Giving yourself the opportunity to safely process these so you can move forward can be life changing. Counselling can improve self esteem and support growth and changes in areas if you’re feeling stuck.
If you find yourself with a difficult relationship with food, emotional eating, binge eating, restricting calories or purging therapeutic support with disordered eating and eating disorders may be a helpful step. Problems with sleeping, nightmares, struggling with self care and other day to day issues are sometimes a sign, also substance reliance, or misuse, disconnecting and ‘hiding away’ from others. Anxiety, performance stress and relationship issues, ‘people pleasing’, anger, crying and sadness without obvious cause may also be an indicator that therapy could be helpful.
You don’t have to know exactly what’s wrong to seek therapy, sometimes it’s enough to sense something doesn’t feel right.
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It may be surprising to know that there is no official registration in the UK. Counsellor, psychotherapist and therapist are not protected titles.
Though many therapists are qualifies, appropriately insured and clinically supervised it may be difficult to know what to look out for.
Professional membership bodies do exist in this profession, they hold their members to professional and ethical standards. I am registered with one of the largest, gold standard bodies, the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Pyschotherapy).
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Often counselling sessions are 50 minutes, known as a “counselling hour”. I prefer to offer 60 minute session, this gives time to work deeply and meaningfully, then to gently regulate and contain the work. Meaning you step out into the rest of your day steady and calm.
EMDR sessions are 90 minutes long. This gives time to safely support trauma processing. Time is given to regulating, grounding techniques, containment and consolidation.
Therapy can be emotionally challenging and tiring but with thoughtful structure to the closing of each session daily life can resume. Though, some gentleness after sessions is often beneficial too.
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This is a useful discussion in the initial conversation. Therapists have their own way of working with this.
The number of sessions you require will be individual to you. A general guide might be short term work as around 3 months, medium at around 6-12 months and longer term work as long as it remains beneficial for you. At any length of time, we review the focus, efficacy and direction of our work together regularly to ensure you are getting what you need from counselling. we can discuss your expectations, hopes, financial and life commitments and any other aspects together.
My experience is that for most people a stable, steady momentum build when anchored to a weekly dedicated slot. The same time, same day each week.
Some people prefer every other week. I can work this way, particularly if a person needs longer processing time between sessions. This is up to you, we will find the pace which best suits your lifestyle and needs. I often find 4-6 weekly sessions to begin before moving to fortnightly is more efficient. My view is that it enhances the development of the therapeutic relationship, trust and a fuller individual picture.
Monthly sessions are a valid choice, some therapists offer this. I offer this pattern only after established work together is coming to a close.
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I appreciate sometimes an initial conversation with a counsellor/therapist might feel daunting. It’s not often we consider speaking to a stranger about our more vulnerable concerns.
I don’t have a set structure for initial conversations. I’m warm, friendly and conversational. We can speak using video call or the phone. I’ll introduce myself and gently get a feel for what information will be useful for you to cover.
It’s not a mini therapy session, so you’re not expected to delve deeply into the emotional parts.
You might have specific questions which I’ll be happy to answer.
You may like me to give an overview of how we might approach your specific goals.
Any questions are welcome across any aspect.
It’s important you have the opportunity to explore how it might feel to work together and whether my approach is a good fit for your needs and personality.
There’s no obligation, you’re encouraged to take all the time you need to consider your options, speak to other potential therapists and reflect.
Research finds that the therapeutic relationship is the best predictor of positive outcomes, even more than modality and other factors.
