Help Centre

What type of counselling do you do?

I am an integrative, humanistic counsellor. This means I work in a number of different ways, seeking to respond to each person's individual needs and their own unique experiences. There is also a strong emphasis in providing a strong and nurturing therapeutic relationship.

You can read more about the way I work in this article and here. 

This article also explains humanistic counselling very well.

How do I know what type of therapy to choose?

There are many forms of therapies to choose from and it can be difficult to work out which type to go for. This website is helpful in explaining the different types. It may be helpful to know that many therapists are integrative/pluralistic - this means they're adaptive to each client and incorporate different skills and techniques for each individual they work with.

Is it normal to receive counselling?

So normal! As well as the majority of counsellors receiving their own counselling at some stage and some continuously throughout their work, many people also access counselling in their lives. It can be hugely helpful in understanding yourself better and receiving some extra needed support. You can probably tell I am a big fan of it.

What happens in the first session?

Once we have had our initial consultation either via telephone or email and we decide to proceed, we will arrange our first session. This first session is for getting to know each other and making sure you're comfortable and happy to continue. I'll outline what to expect from counselling with me and we'll begin to explore what has brought you to counselling. If you're worried about seeking counselling in any way, and can't find the answers on this site, please don't hesitate to contact me.

How long will I need counselling?

Counselling is purely individual and it is ultimately down to you how long you would like to access counselling for. You may have decided you want counselling for a few sessions, for many months or you may be unsure. We will regularly check in with each other to see how you are finding the sessions. I will also share my thoughts on your progress. When you feel you no longer need counselling, we will plan a final session together for our ending.

What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?

This has been long debated with little resolution to an answer. You may have noticed I use the words counsellor and therapist throughout my website. The terms can be used interchangeably. Some argue counselling usually focusses on one topic and is generally in the here-and-now, whilst psychotherapy is more in-depth and focusses on the client’s past too. Others think it depends on the training the therapist has had and the length of time of the therapy, considering psychotherapy to be long-term and counselling; shorter. For humanistic therapists, counselling and psychotherapy are terms that describe the same thing - a nurturing therapeutic relationship in which the client can begin to connect with themselves and their potential. So, I tend to think they can be used interchangeably.

Have a question that was left unanswered? Get in touch with me today.