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How to Start

Finding a therapist

If you feel ready to start, you’ll want to find a therapist that you can work with effectively. You may want to consider things like:

  • what type of therapeutic approach would best suit you
  • if you’d prefer a therapist of a particular background or gender
  • whether you prefer in-person sessions or online sessions

Registered therapists can be found using websites such as Counselling Directory or BACP. You can also access talking therapies on the NHS or through some charities. For further information please read this on Mind’s website or check out the resources listed in the More Help section of this website.

Ask for help

Contact me via email or telephone and I will get in touch with you to arrange a brief assessment session to hear about your circumstances, discuss your needs and suggest support resources.

This should give us a good idea of what kind of therapy will work best for you and where you can find it, getting you going in the right direction. If appropriate you can then arrange a 50 minute session with me.

What happens in my first session?

I will introduce myself, remind you that this is a confidential space and that we have 50 minutes. I will ask you to tell me a little about yourself, I may ask what has brought you to counselling.

I will do my best to put your nerves at ease. Remember that this session is for you to use entirely as you wish, there will be no judgement at all from me.

What to expect in your first session

We’ll work on establishing a therapeutic focus, that is: what do you want from counselling, what would you like to have been achieved by the end of your sessions and how will you know when you have achieved it? We will discuss ways to achieve these goals and begin working towards them. If appropriate, we can discuss signposting you towards other free and paid support resources.

If you feel we are a good fit, you can continue working with me in weekly paid sessions. We must agree to a particular time and day that suits us both. Sessions cost £50 each and must be paid prior to each session. I will email you a brief therapeutic contract which you must read and agree to. The contract is our counselling agreement and states our responsibilities. See an example contract here.

To cancel a scheduled session you must give 48 hours notice but other than that you are not committed to any number of sessions and can terminate the contract whenever you wish. In our time together I aim to contribute as much as I can to your therapeutic journey, so that you are able to grow in new ways and carry the work we have done with you in life beyond therapy.

How many sessions do I need?

I advise provisionally committing to 6 sessions. In session 6 we summarise what we have covered so far and review the effectiveness of our work and its suitability to your needs. We also reflect on your therapeutic focus and whether it has shifted since session 1.

The act of starting counselling can bring a sense of empowerment, knowing that a previously avoided problem can truly be faced head on, resulting in feeling lighter after only one or two sessions.

When ending, we use the final session for reflections, consolidation and any necessary referral, to ensure as smooth and controlled an ending as possible.