What to Expect

Finding a counsellor and starting counselling can be a daunting prospect.  You may be worried that you will be forced to talk about your past or reveal emotions and memories which are very personal to you.  Or that you will be asked to do things which are uncomfortable and embarrassing for you.  I want to reassure you that you won't!  

I will offer you my professional opinion regarding what I believe would help you most but I will not force you to talk about anything you do not want to or to work on issues you do not feel ready to address.  This would be counter-productive and could be damaging to you and to our working relationship. My clients' well-being is of paramount importance to me and as such I let my clients dictate the pace and direction of the work.

Equally you may want me to challenge you to step outside of your comfort zone.  I am happy to do this too.  These are some of the things we will decide together when we first meet.  My aim is always that our work together with be a collaboration. 

There are a lot of counsellors on the market who use numerous different approaches and techniques.  The choice can be baffling!  Regardless of approach or technique, the relationship you form with your counsellor will be the most important factor in your counselling experience.  It is imperative that you feel able to trust your counsellor. 

When you first meet with me, it is important to assess how comfortable you feel talking to me and if you think we will be able to work together.  I will tell you if for any reason I don't think I am the best person to work with you for example if I thought what you were looking for support with was out of my field of experience or competence. 

The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy offer advice on finding a therapist which you may find useful. 

If you decide that counselling is for you, please contact me to make an initial appointment.

When we meet for the first time, we can discuss: