Who is counselling suitable for?

Whilst many people want to seek out a therapist when they are going through a lot of turmoil, my personal recommendation is that you come only when you feel you are able to commit to  the sessions. Counselling is most effective when there is frequency, and if you are so distressed that attending may be problematic, it could be better for you to wait a little. I am happy to help men and women, but I do only work with adults. 

How does counselling work?

The way that I work is that upon receiving your initial enquiry I will book you in for a complimentary consultation. This will always be online regardless of how you would like to receive therapy going forward. The consultation is for 45 minutes and this gives me a chance to see if I can meet your needs, and gives you the opportunity to ask any questions, and share a little about why you are seeking counselling. The consultation will happen as soon as our schedules allow. At the end of this, we will decide if we would like to work together, and if you choose to, we can schedule in your first actual appointment.

In the first session we will discuss the contract – an agreement between us that sets out what we can both expect from each other and how we will work. A copy will be provided for you to keep. After this, the whole process is pretty much over to you. We can talk about whatever you choose. We can look at goals you would like to achieve and each week we can work towards these goals – or other events that may crop up. It’s your time, so I allow you to decide. If you want to try something more experimental, such as art work, mindfulness or tarot we can look at incorporating that, but again, this is always your choice

How long does counselling take?

This will be unique to you.

I have worked with clients who have found benefit after only 6 weeks. Other clients like to continually work on themselves and can be in therapy for years, constantly evolving and working on their self-development. I am happy to do both long and short term work and the contract does not tie you in to any fixed period. We can meet weekly, fortnightly or monthly, although the greater the frequency, the more progress can be made in my experience.

Cancellations – How do these work?

I understand that sometimes life throws things at us that necessitates a change of plan. Should this occur I ask that you provide as much notice as possible. Cancellations made with 24 hours notice or more will be rescheduled and no fee incurred. Cancellations made with less than 24 hours notice, or with no notice will mean that you are still liable for the full fee.  

Full cancellations details are included in the contract.

How & when can you see me?

I can help you either over the phone, online or face to face. Your choice.

*  For face to face counselling, I currently work out of The Therapy Rooms on East Street in Newquay, Cornwall.  (Details available upon request.)

*  For online therapy I use Google Meet. My experience is that this is  an easy to use platform with high security.     

*  For telephone counselling I will always be the one to make the call. This can be to a mobile or a landline.

I currently work days, evenings and weekends. I will always try to accommodate your first choice of appointment.

Will everything I tell you be kept confidential?

For all intents and purposes, what you discuss in therapy will remain confidential between the two of us. There are a few legal and ethical exceptions to this, which I make a point of sharing with you during our first session. However, you are very welcome to contact me regarding these exceptions in your initial enquiry, or to discuss them during the free consultation. 

As an ethical consideration I also have regular supervision to ensure I am doing my best for my clients. In this supervision my client work will be discussed, and therefore my work with you may be a topic. However, my supervisor is also bound by an ethical framework and a contract of confidentiality. Except in extreme circumstances, if there is a need to break confidentiality, my preference is to have a conversation with you about this first as I want to always treat you with respect and honour the trust that will hopefully have grown between us.