What will happen when you contact me?
I appreciate that making contact with a therapist can be difficult and may take you some time. It is a very significant step. It is important that you make contact and not someone else because we need to know that you are choosing therapy for yourself.
First meeting
At our first meeting, my main priority is to begin to think with you about what has brought you to therapy. I will need to gather information to gain 'the big picture' of your life: work; relationships; ethnicity; family of origin; health and any previous experiences of therapy.
I will also be assessing whether what I offer is suitable for you. If I feel that some other form of help would be more suited to you and your needs, I will do my best to recommend either another professional or agency.
This meeting will also give you a chance to see what you think and feel about me. Is your gut instinct that you feel safe and comfortable with me even though what you are talking about may be difficult or distressing? Do you feel you could work with me?
Therapy sessions
As I continue to work with you I seek to build up our working relationship. I listen attentively, empathise, hold you in mind, remember what you say and attend to the themes that emerge in our work. I use my theoretical knowledge and skills to bring insight, understanding, challenge and opportunities for therapeutic change. I will not tell you what to do or give advice; this is a process where I help you find your own solutions to the issues, known and unknown, which brought you to therapy.
Counselling sessions are weekly on the same day and same time for 50 minutes.
I usually offer open-ended counselling. This is where we allow the therapy the time it takes to meet your unique needs.
I also offer time-limited counselling, usually 12 sessions, for the resolution of specific problems.
Psychotherapy sessions are twice weekly.
Confidentiality
Knowing that what you say to me is confidential is fundamental to your feeling safe and able to talk freely. I treat all information disclosed to me as confidential. Any information my supervisor receives is also treated as confidential. However, please note that confidentiality is limited by legal obligations and issues relating to the serious and immediate risk of harm to yourself or others. If I felt any disclosure needed to be made, I would discuss it with you first and encourage you to make the disclosure and seek help from suitable outside agencies, eg your GP.
