Talk therapy provides you with a safe and non-judgmental space to explore your feelings away from the hectic and demanding nature of the day to day life. It offers the time to think, feel and reflect in a nurturing environment which allows for greater insight and awareness into what lies behind your thoughts and feelings. This has the capacity to enable you to make better decisions and to live with greater purpose, meaning and authenticity.

How do I know if talk therapy is for me and what do I do if I don’t like it having had one or more sessions?

Talk therapy is not for everyone, some people may find the work to be helpful, healing and enriching whilst others may not resonate or connect with the work at all. Having an initial session will give you a feel for what talk therapy is about and some indication as to whether you find the work to be of benefit. It could be that after the initial session or after a few sessions you may decide that the therapeutic work or relationship is not right for you. I encourage you to feel that you have every right to end therapy at any stage you feel appropriate. To end our therapeutic engagement, you will just need to inform me 48 hours in advance of any sessions that have been booked in advance.

How do I choose the right therapist?

Choosing the right therapist can be a challenging task. It is important to know what style your therapist practice, what influences their work, what experiences they have and whether or not they specialise in any particular areas. You may be able to find this out on their website but also it is important to asks these questions at your initial session, which are all valid factors in determining whether the therapist is right for you.

Will there be a Counselling Agreement?

Prior to meeting with me I will send you a Counselling Agreement which will set out the terms of the therapeutic engagement, information about confidentiality, endings, fees, practicalities and a signed declaration.

What if I don’t know what to say/I am bad at talk therapy?

There are no right or wrong answers or correct ways of doing therapy, talk therapy meets you where you are at, it is an opportunity to be heard, seen and received in a space that is safe, confidential and non-judgmental.

Are my sessions confidential?

This is an integral part of the therapeutic relationship, everything that is discussed is kept in the strictest confidence. In order for me to adhere to industry best practice of BACP I will have regular sessions with a supervisor where I will need to discuss my work. In these sessions I will not disclose your name or any feature which will allow you to be identified. In addition, any information received by the Supervisor will also be treated with the strictest confidentiality and subject to the same ethical criteria. If, however there is convincing evidence that you intend to harm yourself or others I will need to break confidentiality by informing a relevant third party. Wherever possible and if it is considered appropriate you will be informed of this. I will keep brief notes after sessions, which will be securely stored.

How long are the sessions and how regular are they?

Sessions lasts for 50 minutes and the regularity of the sessions is something to be discussed and agreed on.

What if I am late for my appointment?

If you attend to your session part way through your allotted time, I will see you for the remainder of the time.

How can I cancel or rearrange my sessions?

You can cancel or re-arrange appointments free of charge providing you give me 48hours notice.

What if I cannot make a session/cannot make a session in person but can remotely and cannot give 48hours notice?

If you cannot attend in person and would like to carry out the session remotely at the same time of your appointment, I can accommodate for this however you will still be charged the face to face rate. If you give me more than 48 hours’ notice, the switch can be done free of charge and any over payment made in advance will be refunded.

How do I pay for my sessions?

Payments are done via bank transfer prior to any sessions carried out.

Can I look at my phone during the session?

I will ask that phones are kept out of sight in order to allow you to optimize your time. Of course allowances can be made in circumstances where you will need to attend to your phone as matter of urgency.