frequently asked questions

The dictionary defines counselling as the “provision of professional assistance and guidance in resolving personal or psychological problems”. What does this mean?
Counselling is a service, meaning there is a service provider, called the counsellor, and a customer, called the client.
“Professional” means that the counsellor is qualified and experienced. My qualifications and experience are described in About Me. I maintain my skills with ongoing professional education and my work is supported by regular meetings with my supervisor, who is also a counsellor.
“Personal or psychological problems” come in many different forms. The definition here assumes that the client is in some form of emotional distress and is seeking help in easing it.
“Resolving” is an important part of the definition. It does not imply the guarantee of a “cure”; it instead envisages a goal for the counselling, without which the sessions would merely be conversations!
“Assistance and guidance” come in many forms. Here, it is important not to confuse the counsellor with an expert, guru or medium. It would be unrealistic to expect someone to know you better than you know yourself on the basis of any number of weekly sessions. It might have been better if the definition described the counsellor as “accompanying” the client in resolving his/her problems. At all times you are in control.

The two terms come from different origins, but today are used interchangeably. I prefer “counselling” because it sounds less scary.
More important perhaps than distinguishing between counselling and psychotherapy is understanding the approach underlying the service being offered. There are quite a few approaches available, and their usefulness will depend on the client’s circumstances and needs and, most important of all, on the relationship between counsellor and client. It is this emphasis on the relationship which is the hallmark of the person-centred approach that I offer.

The person-centred counsellor starts from the position of trusting in everyone’s inate desire for growth and fulfilment – in other words, to make the best of themselves. It is then the counsellor’s task to create a safe space for this growth, by offering the client unconditional acceptance, honesty, genuineness and empathy. It is the relationship that is key in person-centred counselling. There is no diagnosing, no pigeon-holing, no judgement. Instead, the relationship is a safe space in which you feel accepted and understood, where you can be in touch with your feelings and talk without fear about anything that concerns you. 

A psychiatrist is a doctor who specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of what is termed “mental illness”, and who may prescribe medication and full-time residential care to a “patient”. By contrast, counsellors are not usually medically trained and will not prescribe treatments. Instead they provide a safe space where “clients” can work through their distress or overcome emotional and cognitive difficulties. Also, counsellors do not wear white coats.

My sense is that there is not one format that is better than the others and that it depends on how the format helps (or not) the client communicate with the counsellor. I would also hesitate to generalise, for example that older people don’t get on with technology! Many younger clients prefer the physicality of being in the same room, while the adaptations caused by the recent pandemic mean that people of all ages are likely to be confident about their use of technology. 

Telephone and video sessions do require that the client finds a safe and confidential space, and that can be a challenge.

I am happy to experiment with you, and I am open to some sessions being in-person and others not. This may be useful when you’re not able to attend a session in person because of work or other commitments.

Effective 1 January 2024, my charge per 50-minute session is £48. Reduced rates are available for Blue Light Card holders. Rates are reviewed each January.

Payment can be in cash at the end of a session or by bank transfer within 24 hours of the end of the session. I’m afraid I don’t accept cheques or credit cards.

The relationship between client and therapist is not limited to a fixed number of sessions nor is it open-ended. The relationship usually ends when you feel strong enough to cope without counselling, or when you find that there is little additional benefit to be gained from continuing.

To help gauge this, we periodically review the progress made in previous sessions to see how the future looks.  

Sessions are generally scheduled weekly so that there is a consistent rhythm to the therapy. Alternatively, it may be possible to schedule them on a fortnightly basis.

I can offer early morning and early evening sessions. Late evening and weekend sessions are not, however, possible.

Our training equips us with methods for self-care so that we do not burn out or are otherwise adversely affected by our work. It must be stressed, however, that our work is very rewarding. It is a real privilege to be accompanying someone on his/her journey.

Yes, I am subscribed with the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Update Service.

While it is important to commit to the schedule of sessions, circumstances can sometimes make this impossible. As they say, life happens! Please try to give me at least 24-hours’ notice if you can, after which full payment of the session fee will be required. 

If you have a car, it is easy enough to find, and I will share with you location details. It is, however, not served by public transport. 

Once you arrive there are two steps to negotiate, otherwise, there are no inclines.

No. This applies whether the sessions are held in-person or remotely.

Within certain constraints, confidentiality is guaranteed. That means that no one else will learn about what we discuss or even that you are attending therapy, unless:

• something comes to light that raises concerns for your immediate safety or the immediate safety of others, in which case I will stop the session and discuss with you what actions we might need to take; or
• disclosures concerning serious criminality, including terrorism, drug- and people-trafficking and money laundering, in which case I am obliged by law to inform the relevant authorities.