How do we begin?
The first session is an informal assessment – you have the chance to get to know what I can do for you and of whether you feel I could be of help to you. When you come along to the first session there will be questions in your mind. How do I feel about all of this? Can I trust this person? Does this person know what I am talking about? Is she able to help me? To be able to get a feeling of confidence in me is crucial because of the importance of the relationship in therapy. If we chat to someone socially it is not so important whether we trust them or not, but in therapy trust is much more important. So this session will help you decide how you feel moving forward with me.

In that first session I will also have the chance to get an understanding of your present situationand some background so I too can have a clearer idea of whether I could be helpful to you. At the end of the session we can agree whether to take things forward.

What happens in the next sessions?
Therapy aims to provide a safe and supportive place to explore your issues. You may know what you want to achieve from therapy, or you may be unclear about this.We can explore your underlying feelings and work through these so they are gradually understood and released. We can work on establishing some satsfactory outcomes for you. We can also look at your situation in different ways to examine your options. With confidential support you can build your confidence for a better life more ably than trying to do it on your own.

How many sessions will I need?
It really depends on two key factors: what you want to get out of the sessions, and how deep-rooted the issues are. I like to agree an inital six sessions so that we can review progress and decide on the way forward.

If you want to work mostly on present-day issues and the issues are not significantly deep-rooted then therapy is likely to be short-term. Where there are more disturbing issues that are affecting you significantly and you want to address these, therapy is likely to be longer-term.

So what is meant by short-term and long-term?
Short-term counselling is usually interpreted as anywhere between 5 to 10 sessions. By long-term therapy we usually mean 6 months or more. However, it is important not to think along the lines of "This means it will be a long time before I notice any positive changes in me". Therapy is a journey and there can be discoveries, insights, and positive steps forward in your relationship with yourself and your view of the world along the way.

Is my problem unique ?
You may be anxious about not being understood, or concerned that the therapist might think you or your problem is strange. In reality, therapists who have been in practice for a significant time will have worked with a total range of issues, and will also have particular experience or expertise in certain areas.

Will I have to reveal everything about myself?
Trust is an important part of the therapeutic process. Learning to trust could then be a useful therapy outcome in itself. As trust builds up in therapy you are likely to reveal more about yourself, and discover more. But the therapy sessions are yours and you have a right to take things at a speed with which you can cope.

Do I need a referral from my GP?
I do take referrals, but this is not usually required.