Frequently Asked Questions And Concerns
Q. I wouldn't know how to begin discussing my life or issues?
A. I understand that not everyone finds it easy to discuss emotional issues.  Our work will probably begin with me asking you what has brought you to the point of seeking help and what you hope for from therapy. I will encourage  you to discuss the issues you want to, and at a pace that is comfortable to you. I will be interested in your thoughts, feelings behavior and I will help you to feel at ease, and discuss these in a way that is not overwhelming or intimidating for you.


Q. How many sessions of therapy will I need?
A. If, at the end of the assessment session, we both feel able to proceed, we will agree a number of sessions to start with such as between six and ten sessions. However, with regular reviews we will explore progress to see if more sessions would be useful. The average number of sessions people attend for is on average between six and ten, but some clients come for one or two sessions and others attend for a year or more although not necessarily weekly.

Q. Will I have to talk about difficult or painful experiences?
A. I have no expectations of what my clients discuss in therapy. It is true however, that some clients do benefit from exploring current or past,  painful experiences because it helps to bring about for them, new or different ways of coping with their feelings about those experiences.

Q. What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
A. "Psychotherapy" and "counseling" are terms that are often used interchangeably. They are similar but there are some differences. Counselling tends to focus on a  particular symptom or problematic situation and helps to find ways of dealing with it. Psychotherapy is usually  longer term work, which focuses more on gaining insight into emotional problems and patterns of behaving. It's focus is on the clients inner processes and way of being in the world,  rather than specific problems.

Q. Can I end therapy whenever I choose?
A. You are free to end your therapy should you wish to discontinue, however I appreciate an ending session particularly if we have worked together for a while.

Q. Will the counsellor be shocked, or judge me by what I discuss?
A. I will listen carefully without judgement and try to understand what your life is like for you. I have a lot of experience working with a wide spectrum of emotional and sensitive issues and therefor I am not shocked easily.