Frequently Asked Questions
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What happens in the first session?
This is an opportunity for you to see if therapy is for you, and if you would like to work with me. I will want to find out more about you and what you would like to get from therapy, and we will discuss how we might do this. This lets us both see if I am the best person to work with you and how that might proceed. There’s no obligation to go beyond a first session if you feel it isn’t right for you How many sessions will I need? This is something we can work out together depending on your needs and wishes; it can vary between a minimum of six sessions, and longer-term work over several months or years. How much do sessions cost? Sessions are £60/ 65 Euro. Some daytime concessionary sessions are available on request. I ask that initial sessions are paid for in advance; in the case of ongoing sessions, payment via invoice can be arranged. How long are the sessions and how often? Sessions are 50 minutes long and are at an agreed weekly appointment time. What happens if I need to cancel a session or take a break from sessions? I ask for a minimum of 72 hours to cancel a session with no charges. Where possible, I will facilitate rescheduling the session within that week, but reserve the right to charge in full for cancellations made with less than 72 hours’ notice. Within a six month period, I am happy to cancel up to three sessions with notice without making a charge. However, further cancelled sessions within that time will be charged in full, as this space is being reserved solely for your use. Is what we talk about kept private? What you talk about in your therapy sessions is confidential. This applies to anyone over 11 years old who can demonstrate an understanding and ability to choose to have therapy. However, there are certain circumstances when a therapist may need to talk to another professional – if there appears to be a serious risk of harm to you or to others. This is usually done with the client's permission and these circumstances are explained in advance – at the beginning of the therapy contract. I am always happy to explain more about confidentiality and how I work. What’s the difference between counselling and psychotherapy? In the UK and Ireland, these terms are often used relatively interchangeably, and for ease and brevity, I frequently use the term ‘therapy’ on this site. Simply speaking, counselling tends to be shorter and so is more suitable for focussed work on one or two issues. Psychotherapy tends to be for longer and so there is time to go into issues more deeply and look at more complex connections between your past and present. To work safely with the deeper issues which can be explored in psychotherapy, longer training and/ longer professional experience is desirable: I have been practising as a therapist for over fifteen years and have considerable experience offering therapy ranging from six sessions to several years. What does ‘Integrative’ counselling and psychotherapy mean? Over the decades, many different counselling and psychotherapy approaches or philosophies have developed. As you might expect, some methods suit some people’s temperament and outlook better than others, and different methods can work better with different issues. Being an Integrative therapist means I’m trained and experienced in a range of therapeutic approaches and can choose and blend these as best suits your individual needs. Do you subscribe to a professional code of ethics? I am an accredited member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists, meaning I have been trained to meet their standards of practice and subscribe to their Ethical Framework I can be found on the BACP register of members here I am also a senior professional member of ACTO: the Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy Online and can be found on their register of members here NB- I endeavour to respond to messages within two working days but cannot guarantee a response time. Please visit the links page if you need urgent help
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If you would like to make an enquiry, please contact me via this email address or on the number at the bottom of this page
NB- I endeavour to respond to messages within two working days but cannot guarantee a response time. Please visit the links page if you need urgent help |
