Why do people decide to have counselling?
Sometimes it can be helpful to talk about personal issues with a person who is independent of friends and family. Certain life events can be very difficult to deal with. However, you do not have to be in crisis before choosing to have counselling. You may be experiencing underlying feelings of dissatisfaction with life in general or want to work on your personal development. All of these reasons and more bring people to counselling.
What will happen in the first session?
The first session is called an assessment session and it lasts for approximately 50 minutes. The counselling process will be explained, covering things such as confidentiality and how to arrange and cancel appointments. You can tell me about the issues you are having and what you would like to get out of counselling. I will assess whether counselling with me could be suitable for your needs and answer any questions. There is no requirement to arrange an appointment afterwards. You might like to take some time to think about whether to make an appointment.
How long does a counselling session last?
Sessions last for approximately fifty minutes or less time if we both feel that everything has been covered for that session.
How many sessions will I need?
This is different for everyone depending on your own personal circumstances. Some people benefit from short term counselling whilst others benefit from longer term counselling. We will have regular reviews which give you the opportunity to reflect on your progress and check that our sessions are meeting your needs. If you would like to end your counselling sessions you can choose to do so at any point.
Is counselling confidential?
Yes your attendance and what is talked about is kept confidential. There are some exceptions to keeping confidentiality in relation to my duty of care and these will be explained to you.
What happens in the free ten minute initial phone call?
You can ask any questions and see if you feel comfortable talking to me. I can also learn a little bit about the issues you are having. The phone call can help you decide if you think we might be a good fit and if you would like to book an assessment session. There is no requirement to arrange an assessment session after the phone call though and you might like to take some time to think about whether to book an assessment session.
How often are the sessions?
Once a week is best for the majority of people to begin with. At a later stage some people choose to have fortnightly sessions as they feel the benefits of therapy and no longer feel the need for weekly sessions.
