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Frequently asked questions

How do I find the right therapist for me?

When you have found a few therapists online who you feel may be able to help you, after reading the information on their website, the best way to find out if they are the best therapist for you is to book an initial consultation.  This will give you the opportunity to explain what brings you to therapy, ask the therapist questions about their way of working and during this conversation, hopefully you will feel if they are the right person for you.  Can you communicate with ease?  Does the therapist make you feel comfortable?  Do you feel you have some rapport?  These are all questions that you may consider when speaking to a therapist. 

What can I talk about?

You can speak in confidence about any issues that are causing you distress or making life difficult for you.  All issues and all feelings are welcome in our sessions and I encourage my clients to be themselves, not to filter how they are feeling or what they say.   

What if I don't want to talk about something?

What is discussed in our sessions together is completely under your control.  You decide what you speak about and what you choose not to speak about.  I endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment for my clients and aim to build a trusting relationship, in the hope that they feel secure enough to be able to speak freely.  However, I acknowledge that some issues, feelings and events are difficult to speak about, especially when you first start therapy sessions.  

Is everything I say kept confidential?

I understand how worrying it must be that when you open up to someone, you wonder if they will keep it to themselves.  Anything you say in our sessions is completely confidential.  There are however, some exceptions in which I am required, by law, to break confidentiality and also some ethical reasons in which I will break confidentiality.  These exceptions are:

 

  • If there is a risk of harm to yourself or others including child exploitation or abuse

  • Acts of terrorism

  • Money laundering

  • Drug trafficking

  • If I am issued a subpoena by a court judge

  • Supervision - I discuss my client work at regular supervision sessions which I am required to have as a practicing therapist.  This is to ensure that I am providing the best service to my clients.  My supervisor is bound by the same rules of confidentiality as I am.

 

These will be discussed in more depth in our sessions. Any personal information regarding clients is kept on a password protected hard drive and I am registered with the Information Commissioners Office to enable me to store electronic personal data.  I am also GDPR compliant.  

How long will counselling take?

This is a question that I get asked a lot and truthfully, there's no concrete answer because therapy isn't one size fits all.  The amount of sessions you will have will depend on many different factors such as:

  • What you wish to gain from therapy.

  • Whether you would like counselling for a present issue or whether you prefer psychotherapy to look at things in more depth.

  • How you feel that you are progressing through your sessions.

  • How long it takes us to establish a good, working therapeutic relationship.

  • How committed you are to changing your current life position.

A good basis to start with is six sessions, this allows time for us to get to know each other well and to start working on your presenting issues.  You may feel that this is enough to work through the main issues causing you difficulties at present.  However, if you feel you would like to work through more things and to look a little deeper, then more sessions are likely to be needed and how many will depend on regular reviews of your progress.

What happens in a session?

The way I like to start sessions with clients is by taking some history relating to your family, relationships, key life events and any circumstances relating to the issue that you have come to therapy for.  You can give as much or as little information as you feel comfortable in giving as I appreciate, this can be a little daunting when first starting therapy.  The information gathering is purely as an aid for me as your therapist to gain a more holistic insight into your life.  It helps to inform my understanding of you as a person and how your life fits around you.  

The session is paced at the speed that you are comfortable with and you are encouraged to be open and honest about how you feel the sessions are serving you.  I offer insights and interpretations of what I feel may be going on for you and this allows us to open up discussions about things that maybe you hadn't given much thought to before.  I work in a relational way and focus heavily on creating a trusting therapeutic relationship with my clients, which encourages honesty both ways.

Is BWRT like hypnosis?

BWRT is definitely NOT like hypnosis.  This is because during hypnosis the practitioner induces a trance like state and during this time, two areas of the brain that are responsible for control and processing become more active. 

BWRT on the other hand, requires no induced trance like state and works at the pre-conscious level of the brain.  BWRT works with the processing speed of the brain and is delivered in a completely different manner to hypnosis.

Why do I need to give my GP details?

I get asked this question quite a lot because many clients do not want their Doctor knowing that they are having therapy.  I hope to allay these concerns by stating that GP details are taken in case of a medical emergency.  Also, if I ever felt that you were at risk of harming yourself, then your GP may be one of the people I contact, with your permission, in order to get you some more immediate and specialist help.  I do not report clients attendance to therapy as a matter of course.

**This is slightly different in relation to BWRT.  If you are seeing me for BWRT in relation to fears or phobias, then this is straight forward and your Doctor does not need to be informed.  However, if you require BWRT for any other issue, I am required by the BWRT Institute to write to your Doctor, explaining that I intend to carry out BWRT with you and give them the option to ask me not to.  This is purely because there may be a medical explanation for the issues that you are suffering with and any delay to you receiving medical intervention, could cause you more harm. 

Can I contact you between sessions?

I will be available to you for your appointment times only, unless you need to contact me to reschedule an appointment, in which case I will endeavour to respond as soon as possible.

What if I have an emergency?

If you have an emergency and are in immediate crisis then it is important that you get help straight away.  You could call your GP for an urgent appointment, contact your local crisis team at your local A&E or call any of the 24 hour telephone helplines such as:

  • The Samaritans - telephone free on 116 123

  • Text "SHOUT" to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text "YM" if you're under 19

  • Childline (for under 19 year olds) - telephone free on 0800 1111

What is your cancellation policy?

 

I request 48 hours minimum notice for cancellation of a session and there will be no charge for this.  If however, you give less than 48 hours notice, full session fees will be payable.

Online Counsellor UK

“Every answer begins with a question.”


~ T.A. Uner, The Leopard Resurrection

Online Counselling

“Pursuit of a question asked by no one is far greater than memorizing an answer known to everyone.”


~Abhijit Naskar, Aşkanjali: The Sufi Sermon

Adult counselling UK

“You can’t grow if you are afraid of change.”


~Bernardo Moya

Online Psychotherapist UK
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