The Five Love Languages
A pop psychology phenomenon. First published over 30 years ago, Gary Chapman’s concept of the Five Love Languages has become a global...
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Why Counselling?
Perhaps you feel as though you are losing control, that life is delivering more than you can handle or you feel broken beyond repair. It may be that your life feels empty and the future looks hopeless. It is not unusual to experience feelings like these. Often it can be difficult to manage these types of feelings or to believe that things will ever change. Perhaps you are dissatisfied with personal relationships or in your job. I offer a safe and confidential space to explore, reflect and grapple with the issues that impact upon your life.
I work with a range of clients presenting with vastly different and unique issues. In my client work my aim will always be to enable you to find greater autonomy in facing life’s challenges.
The prospect of beginning therapy might feel unnerving especially if this is your first experience of personal counselling. The counselling process can be powerful and transformative. It might be difficult to make those first steps into personal counselling but I will work with you at your pace to ensure that you feel safe, supported and heard.
Expect
What to Expect
Counselling is a ‘talking therapy’. In most cases when new clients come to meet me it is because they have one or a number or issues that they would like to explore or change. My sessions are one-on-one (individual counselling) and usually take place once a week. I provide you with a space in which to reflect upon and explore the issues that you are experiencing. As a ‘Person Centred’ counsellor my role in the therapeutic relationship is that of an equal rather than an expert or teacher. What that means is that I will walk alongside you as you delve into the issues that you are facing. I will act as a guide, shining a spotlight upon things that you say or do. Most of the work that takes place in the counselling room will be done by you. The counselling process is not always easy but it can be extremely rewarding and can change the landscape of your life. Many clients hope that I will tell them what to do or that I will give them a quick fix. I certainly can not fix problems for you but I can work with you as you learn to repair yourself.
I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and practice in line with their ethical guidelines for counselling and psychotherapy. You can read those guidelines by visiting www.bacp.co.uk
All sessions are confidential and I will explain the guidelines regarding confidentiality in our first session together.
The consultation (first session) is an important session as it provides us with an opportunity to meet and discuss what your hopes are for the counselling process. One of the most important elements in a successful therapeutic process is the relationship between the client and counsellor, you and me. In this session we have the opportunity to assess whether we feel we can work well together. There are a range of therapeutic models available and by getting this initial experience of the Person Centred Approach you can assess whether this is the right way forward for you.
"Learning to live with your emotions is rather like learning to surf on a rough ocean. At first you feel at the mercy of the unpredictable waves… We learn to surf the ocean by learning about the laws of the water and by allowing our body to become one with the waves so that we can let them carry us forward."
Emmy Van Deurzen
Philosopher and Existential Psychotherapist
How many?
How many sessions do I need?
When asked this question I suggest that the best way to begin is to start with six counselling sessions. Counselling is described as a ‘process’. During the counselling process the sessions can be significantly different from week to week and it is often only when looking back that you will see some of the significant changes that have taken place. Six sessions is really the minimum that I would expect to begin an effective counselling process. It is difficult for me to predict what you need or when you will feel that you no longer need counselling. The decision to end counselling will be yours to make. For some, that will be after a short time whereas some client’s embrace counselling as a long term process that supports them in their day-to-day life. It's up to you.
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