Some questions you may have

What happens first?

Initially I offer clients the opportunity to meet for 50 minutes to explore the possibility of our working together. If we feel that we can work; this is a joint decision, I ask for a commitment of 6 sessions, which are then reserved. We can work for a longer period if necessary, which will be reviewed on a regular basis.

How does telephone counselling work?

Telephone counselling can be useful for many reasons – it is more flexible than face to face especially if you live in the more rural parts of Essex. It can feel more comfortable sharing personal information within the privacy of your home. All calls are confidential in line with the BACP’s guidelines. You will make the first contact either by telephone or e-mail. Once payment has been made, I will contact you at the appointed time for your first session. We will explore what has brought you to counselling and what you hope to achieve. We will then contract for a further 6 sessions. .

How does Internet counselling work?

As with telephone counselling you will make the first contact. Once payment has been made I will give you a user name and password to enter the chat room. We will have an initial session to determine whether we can work together. Once established we will contract for 6 session and then review every six sessions from there on. This applies to both internet and telephone sessions. How does e-mail counselling work?

E-mail counselling is for people who need help making decisions about their life either personal or professional. It is useful if you are always on the move or very busy and do not have the time to sit talk to someone. You will make the first contact via email – once payment has been made I will respond to your e-mail within 48 hoursWhat if I cannot make it? Once a set of diary dates have been arranged, any cancellations will bear the full cost of the session. I will however always try to fit you in at an alternative time if at all possible.

Who comes to Therapy?

There is a misunderstanding that therapy is only for people with serious emotional or mental health problems. While this can be the case, therapy is increasingly being used by those of us who want to understand behaviours and emotional responses, increase self-awareness as well as for personal development.

While it's true that some people turn to therapy in times of crisis, other people come saying things like 'I feel stuck in my life' or 'Something's wrong but I don't know what it is'. What can be valuable is the opportunity to explore issues and concerns with someone who is separate from the rest of your life and won't be overwhelmed or shocked by what you say, and won't start telling you what to do!