For lots of people it can be quite daunting to think about starting therapy and it's likely that you will have some questions about how it works or what to expect.  I've tried to anticipate and answer some of these here but there are bound to be others so please feel free to drop me a line with any others that you have, I'll happily do my best to answer them as quickly and as fully as I can.

What is counselling and how does it work?

At it’s core, counselling is 2 people making a connection in which one, usually called the client, is trying to change something (or things) about their life. The counsellor will try to help them by listening, supporting, exploring and travelling beside them, providing a safe space for the client to develop, grow, accept, adapt, whatever it is that’s needed.

There are many types of counselling so different counsellors work in different ways. However, research indicates that the most important aspect, the thing that makes counselling work, is the relationship that develops between the counsellor and the client. It’s a bit different from other relationships as it has clear boundaries and only exists in the therapy room, but it should be open, honest, and supportive, from that comes the connection and from that comes healing.

Is online video counselling as good as meeting in person?

The available evidence suggests that it is. Online counselling has become a lot more common in recent years, especially since the pandemic so there has been a lot of research done to check if it is as effective as face to face therapy. Most of that research has found that it works just as well.

Online counselling has the added advantage that we can meet from anywhere in the UK or even further afield and it makes it easier to attend therapy for people with busy lives, other commitments or any practical issues with travelling.

What type of counselling do you practice?

I am trained as a pluralistic counsellor.  Pluralism starts from the basic idea that different things will work for different people at different times, there is no one size fits all solution!  In practice what this means is that I have training and experience in using different theories, methods and techniques from a range of different types of therapy.  By working together we can identify which approaches are the ones most likely to be effective for you.  All of these methods are informed by valid research which is important in making sure that the work we engage in has been shown to be effective in helping people to make changes in their lives.

Another important aspect of this type of counselling is that we truly work together as partners in the process.  We each bring our own knowledge, skills and experience and work together to identify the types of things we might do in therapy to best help you.  

How are you regulated?

I am a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). As part of that I follow their guidelines on working ethically with clients and making sure that I do the best I can to help people with the issues that they bring to counselling. One of the most important principles of being a counsellor is to make sure that we work we do is always in the best interests of our clients and this is reflected in the BACP code of practice.  I take this responsibility very seriously.  If a client is concerned about anything that happens in counselling the BACP has a complaints procedure that can be used and all complaints made will be investigated. If a complaint is upheld a range of action can be taken including being removed from the register of counsellors.

Is everything discussed in counselling confidential?

Basically, yes whatever is discussed in sessions is completely private and doesn’t get shared with anyone although there are a couple of exceptions. If something came up in conversation which led me to be seriously concerned about the welfare or safety of someone then I would probably have a duty to take action to keep that person safe and that might involve breaking confidentiality. The other situations that I would maybe have to break confidentiality would be if I was told something about terrorism or some other serious crimes.

In any event, if something came up that I was concerned about and considering breaking confidentiality I would always try to talk to a client about that before telling someone else.

Do you keep records?

Yes, I keep basic written records about what we talk about in counselling, it is something I am required to do as a condition of my BACP registration and also helps me keep track of the work we are doing and the progress we make.  Please rest assured though that these don't get shared with anyone and are kept securely and safely.  Generally the records I keep are electronic and are stored in password protected files.  If any paper records are generated I store these in a locked cabinet.  All client records are subject to GDPR regulations and you have the right to view any records that I hold about you, just ask if you would like to do that.  The only situation I am required to share written records with anyone else is if I am ordered to do so by a court.