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Therapy is “work”!  Sometimes people think they would prefer for the “expert therapist” to provide a “quick fix”! However, you are the only expert on you, and real lasting change takes time and effort. Good quality therapy can help facilitate you, and is a really good investment in your wellbeing and quality of life.

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Is all counselling the same?

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No. The methods and styles are different, though all have the aim of making you feel you have resolved whatever is troubling you. Different types of counselling suit different people. Simplifying hugely, CBT directs you to change current thinking patterns, while Psychodynamic tackles unconscious feelings from your early years. Person-centred counselling may look at the past and present, but is non-directive, offering a genuine, empathic, non-judgemental relationship, and a safe, thoughtful space to explore and reflect.

 

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Nowadays, the terms ‘counselling’ and ‘psychotherapy’ are often (wrongly) used interchangeably, but ‘psychotherapy’ traditionally means more training, usually at Degree level, in deeper mental health problems and conditions. 

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The most important aspect is to find a counsellor who you feel you can work with.

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What is the person centred approach?

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The person-centred approach, also known as client-centred therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, is a branch of humanistic counselling and psychotherapy.  It is founded on the premise that all human beings are unique, with an innate tendency, under the right conditions, to develop towards and fulfil their own potential (which can be blocked by certain life experiences, particularly those concerned with our sense of worth or value).

 

The therapeutic relationship offers these conditions, as the therapist provides unconditional acceptance, non-judgement and valuing, striving to empathically understand your experience from an authentic and genuine way of being.  Occasionally there may be gentle challenge by the therapist, but this is always at your pace.

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Walking with you, respecting and trusting that you are an expert on yourself and your life, with the resources within to work out what's right for you, facilitates reconnecting with your personal true self, which then facilitates trusting and movement in the direction of fulfilment, effecting healing, self-acceptance, change and growth.

This approach allows you to take things at your own pace - it is not directive or leading. 

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For more information on the person-centred approach, which I use, please click here.

 

What happens in a counselling session?

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In the initial sessions, you can gauge whether you would feel comfortable working together.  I do not conduct any formal initial assessments, and I will not be asking for GP details. I will run through our 'working agreement', common to most counselling, and you may have questions about the counselling process.

If you choose to return, we meet thereafter for sessions lasting up to 50 minutes. The number of sessions is determined by you, and you choose whatever you wish to talk about, with the pace set by you. 

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I do recommend an initial minimum of 6 sessions in order to allow our work to evolve and after which it is easier for you to make an informed decision about whether or not you wish to continue your counselling.  We will in any event review our work together after 6 sessions, after which, if we continue, our work becomes open ended until we end by agreement. Sessions may be weekly, fortnightly or monthly. 

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What does 'Accredited' mean?

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Currently, anyone can call themselves a "counsellor", so beware! Always check for the minimum training award, which is a Diploma in counselling. Degree level involves an extra year of study. Many counsellors then apply to be on the nationally recognised BACP register (other organisations are available but are perhaps considered less prestigious). After a few years of qualified experience, counsellors may then apply for BACP "Accreditation". This is considered the "gold standard" mark of good practice, and involves a rigorous application process which is very challenging to achieve. Most do not bother with this extra hurdle. While it is true that academic qualifications do not guarantee someone is a good counsellor, many would agree that training and experience is important. It is up to you what level you choose to ask of your counsellor, but it can be confusing to navigate profiles, so this understanding of levels may be useful knowledge. 

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What happens to my data?

Please see under the 'GDPR' tab.

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