Some frequently asked questions and their answers

If you need urgent help

If you need to speak with someone urgently, you can call the NHS on 111 # 2,

or ring the Samaritans on 116 123.

You can also contact SHOUT; to start a conversation, text the word 'SHOUT' to 85258.

These (emergency) services are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

How does counselling help?

Being able to talk in a confidential way to someone who is unbiased and unjudgmental, allows you to process your concerns and problems in a better way. Counselling aims to give you assistance and guidance in case of a personal, psychological problem. By getting to the core of your concern, it will help you explore possible solutions, to resolve your problem.

Why do people seek counselling?

The concerns and issues people have, are from a very wide variety. To name but a few: bereavement, stress, redundancy, depression, separation and divorce, abuse, anger, general anxiety, PTSD, OCD, thoughts of suicide, self-harm etc

How many sessions are usually involved?

The concerns and issues people have, are from a very wide variety. Everybody wants different things from counselling.

I have seen people for four times up to twenty times, both with an outcome they were happy with. 

We will regularly talk about where you think you are in the process and the number of sessions involved.

How frequent are the counselling sessions?

I usually meet my clients once a week. This gives you the time and opportunity in between sessions to process and work through what we discuss. It is also regular enough to continue the process we are going through without losing its thread, or momentum, so we can easily build on what we achieved the week before.

But if you feel more comfortable with a different frequency of meetings, that is fine as well of course.

What are the costs of counselling?

My fees for a 50-minute session are £50.

The fee for students at a counselling course (L3/4/5) is £35 per session.

What if I feel emotional and upset during our meetings?

Counselling often will touch upon issues that are emotionally very sensitive. Tears are often just another way of communicating how deeply felt your emotions are and a way of coping with those feelings. I always have tissues in the counselling room in case you'd need them.

Can I contact you in between the sessions?

Whilst we try to reserve your regular 50 minutes per week to address your concerns, it is possible that something very unsettling pops up in between sessions you'd like to briefly chat or text about. 

That is ok and if you contact me on weekdays between 8.00h and 18.00h I shall do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.  

At any other time, if you feel you are in crisis or are unable to wait for me to get back to you, or until you next see me, you could call the NHS on 111 # 2, or the Samaritans on 116 123.

You can also contact SHOUT; to start a conversation, text the word 'SHOUT' to 85258.

 These services are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.