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. All of these reasons and more bring people to counselling.
What will happen in the first session?
The first session 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 have been experiencing and what you would like to get out of having counselling. I will assess whether counselling could be suitable for your needs and answer any questions that you have.
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 the issues you are facing and your personal requirements. 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 about where you are within your counselling process and ensure it is 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 counselling is confidential. There are some exceptions to keeping confidentiality in relation to duty of care and these will be explained to you in the first session.
What happens after the first session?
If we both feel that counselling could be beneficial you might want to arrange to have a second session, but there is no requirement to arrange a further session after the first session. You may like to take some time to think about whether to begin sessions.
How often are the sessions?
Once a week is appropriate for the majority of people to begin with and at a later stage some people choose to attend fortnightly or less often as they feel the benefits of therapy. If you are unable to attend weekly sessions we can plan the frequency of the sessions to suit your lifestyle.
