Q&A’s
What is counselling & psychotherapy?
I refer to myself simply as a therapist and the people I help as my conversational partners. Once a week for 50 minutes, usually at the same time on the same day each week, we would meet and talk about anything and everything you wish. I would listen of course, make comments, reflections and interpretations being empathic, supportive, understanding, encouraging and sometimes challenging. You might see different ways of looking at things, gain some insights, have some ‘aha’ moments, lightbulbs turning on and gain more self-awareness. I might suggest making some lifestyle changes, books to read, Apps to use or podcasts to listen to. The goal of therapy is to create positive, enduring psychological and behavioural change, to grow and develop as a person, to feel more fulfilled.
How long does it take?
Weeks, months, years. It depends on the nature of your difficulties, how long they’ve been around and what you are looking to achieve. As a very rough guide the longer problems have been around, the more serious they are, the more often they’ve cropped up for you, the longer therapy can take. Some clients stay for months, some for years. We’ll both know when the time has come to end.
Absolutely anything and everything. For example…Relationships, both work and personal. Your relationship with yourself. Family issues. Anxiety. Depression. Personality issues. Problems at work. Obsessions, compulsions, addictions. General feelings of unhappiness. Identity issues (Who am I? What defines me?). Existential issues (What gives my life meaning?). And so very much more.
What do people talk to you about?
How does it work?
Here’s just one way. Think of this…Imagine you’re walking in the country in summer. You arrive at a grassy field, you want to cross it but there’s no path. You walk across it anyway. On your way back you arrive at the same field and see the indentations from your feet in the grass. You’ve created the beginnings of a path. Our brains work in paths, they’re called neural pathways. Some of these neural pathways have been travelled in the same way in our brains for years and sometimes they are no longer helpful for us. They might even be detrimental. In therapy we can lay down new neural pathways, new ways of thinking, being and doing, new perspectives, new feelings. And those old, unhelpful, unused paths in the brain can gradually fade away.
Research has shown that 95% of people benefit from therapy. The pandemic has brought more and more people to therapy because of the issues Covid has brought up, not necessarily directly related to Covid itself. But you don’t have to believe what I say. Check out what some of my former clients have to say here.
Does therapy work?
What experience do you have?
I have been a therapist (Senior Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist) for over 22 years during which time I am proud to have helped hundreds of people. Please check out my Credentials page to find out more me about me.
How much does it cost?
My fee is from £80 per 50 minute therapy session.
I operate a sliding fee scale according to a number of factors. These include your income and situation, the nature of the work, the time at which you’d like to have your sessions etc. Before we start I will give you an exact fee quotation.
My fee reflects my level of experience, knowledge and training and my status as a BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist. Please view my Credentials Page to find out more.
In addition to the 50 minute session time itself my fee also takes account of the time I spend between sessions considering, preparing for and reflecting on our work.
My fee for a 50 minute Discovery Zoom Call is £80.
My fee for professional supervision is £80 per 50 minutes.