Counselling is a talking therapy suited to anyone wanting to explore thoughts, feelings, and what is causing them distress in life. As a counsellor my role is to facilitate the space so you can reflect, find meaning and explore the changes you would like to bring into your life.
As an integrative counsellor my aim is to take you and your individual circumstances into account in order to work together in a way that is suited to your needs. To do this, I will be drawing upon knowledge of different theoretical approaches to human and personality development, from Person Centred to Psychodynamic and more. Everyone is different.
Working relationally takes into account that a strong relationship between a client and therapist is necessary for clients to make progress in therapy. It also takes into account that a fundamental part of being human is our relationships with others; whether those others are caregivers, friends, colleagues, or any other type of relationship we may be part of. When we encounter difficulties in our relationships, or our relationships fail to give us what we need, this can have a huge impact on our sense of self and our confidence. Counselling offers the opportunity to become aware of past experiences and patterns of relating that no longer serve you.
I work with individuals and counselling is offered open-ended, which means that there is no set number of sessions or time limit placed on the work we will do together. However, for the benefit of the development of our relationship I recommend that you commit to an initial set of at least 6 sessions, with a review at the end. It is important for the counselling to be focused on your needs, at your pace and for as long as you need.
Location & fees
What you can expect from counselling
Your first session will be an assessment. This is to look at what you would like help with and how we can work together. I will ask you to complete a questionnaire which will give us a picture of what is happening for you, that can be revisited at a later stage of counselling to look at some of what has changed. At this first session I will explain something that is called a “contract”. This contract is not a legal agreement, this contract is a pledge between you and I of how we will work together. It will include things like days and times we have agreed to meet, and which responsibilities we will each hold in order for the counselling to take place (for example, being on time, what happens if you need to cancel and so on) as well as other ethical considerations.
I recognise that it can feel like a big step when starting counselling, especially if you have not experienced it before. It can feel difficult not knowing what to expect or what to say.
Please know that this is your time for you and that you can use it in whatever way feels most useful. Do ask questions. Do tell me what works for you. This way, together we can ensure that you get the most out of this experience
Confidentiality
What we talk about in counselling is confidential. This is a very important aspect of our work together and it is my intention to uphold confidentiality at all times. There are, however, some exceptions to this confidentiality and it is important for you to understand this before we start work together. I will always be transparent about this.
In exceptional circumstances where you, or another person, may be at serious risk of harm I may need to break confidentiality. Where there is a serious risk of harm to yourself or someone else, such as any information regulated by the Children’s Act, acts of terrorism, money laundering or drug trafficking and ongoing court proceedings. For more information you can visit www.bacp.com.
I am a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and fully uphold their Ethical Framework. As part of my commitment to ethical and safe working practices I am in supervision and will take some information about our work together to my supervisor for ongoing support and professional development. Any information shared is always anonymous; no personal identifying information about you will ever be shared. This is an important, and standard, aspect of any therapy. Our confidentiality agreement in our contract takes account of this.
Get in touch
If you have made the decision to contact me for counselling I offer a free 15 minute telephone consultation, to give you the opportunity to ask me questions and see if we can work together.