How to book a "Get to Know" session
What is counselling?
Counselling offers a safe space to think about any emotional difficulties with a trained counsellor who is non-judgemental and treats whatever you want to talk about in a confidential way.
What can counselling help with?
You don’t have to be in a crisis to have counselling. It could simply be that you are anxious about the changes in your life. Or you may feel that it is difficult to overcome the necessary changes in your life. Counselling can help with understanding yourself better.
What can I expect from my initial session?
The initial session is a ‘get to know’ session for both you and your counsellor. You will get a sense of how your counsellor works and you may ask any questions. You will be asked what brings you to counselling and about the issues you want to work on. You will be asked questions about your personal circumstance for the counsellor to make sure they are the right person to help you.
What if I want to stop working with my counsellor?
It is best to talk to the counsellor when you want to stop working with them. It is best not to just stop abruptly, if possible, but to discuss the ending with the counsellor. Counselling can sometimes have the effect of making you feel unsettled because of the issues that come up. You can talk to your counsellor about this so they can support you.
What's the difference between carer counselling and coaching?
Both have the same starting point with you as the focus of attention, creating a safe and supportive space for you to explore what is going on for you in your life. In general terms one could say that counselling is more coping orientated, whilst coaching is more action orientated. Counselling can also be more focussed on helping you to identify how you feel, whilst coaching may want you to recognise how you think. Counselling can be used to help you address your problems in life, whilst coaching could focus more on setting and achieving goals. We can discuss this in the ‘Get to know’ session, when we determine if counselling or coaching will be more supportive for you.
How we deliver sessions
We offer in-person, Zoom
or telephone sessions (or a blend of these).
See In-Person Counselling and Online Counselling for details for details.
See In-Person Counselling and Online Counselling for details for details.
How many sessions will I need?
Counselling can be both short term and long term. Ultimately, the amount of sessions will depend on various things like the complexity of the issues you want to bring, how the relationship with the counsellor is developing, or the kind of counselling or therapy that is applied. It is unusual for counselling to be for less than six sessions, as counsellor and client want to get comfortable with each other so they can work on your issues in depth.
Can I work with a counsellor online or over the phone?
Yes, you can indeed. We are qualified to work both online and over the phone. Regardless how therapy is delivered, we are committed to adhering to the code of ethics
of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy).
What does therapy feel like?
The short answer is that it will be different for everyone. It is a safe space where you can share what is on your mind. One of the powerful elements of counselling is to be listened to, without judgement, by someone who understands. Feeling heard, feeling seen and feeling understood can be very powerful. You may get upset or angry or cry in the sessions, or between sessions, and this can feel unsettling for you. Your counsellor is trained to help you cope with your emotions that come up.
How can counselling help people with short-term memory problems?
You may worry about forgetting what we have discussed in the previous session and wonder how counselling can help if you have memory lapses. This is a valid concern, though in counselling we address what is going on for you at the time when you talk to your counsellor. This could be very different from week to week, as it is with people who do not have a dementia diagnosis. If a particular feeling is affecting you week after week, it will emerge and we will address it, but there is no need to worry about remembering.
How can family members help?
Whilst counselling is confidential and the content you talk about with your counsellor will generally not be shared with others, it can sometimes be helpful to include family members. For instance, family can help when it comes to administrative tasks, such as booking appointments, making sure you get to the counselling location (or log on in time if you have counselling via Zoom), or as support in ‘emergency’ situations. How much you want to involve your family is up to you, and your counsellor will be able to answer general questions your family will have.