What to Expect

Understanding Our Process

It's natural to feel a mix of emotions including nervousness, anticipation and even a little apprehension, but rest assured, these feelings are completely normal.

To help you feel as comfortable as possible, here is an insight as to what to expect when you first contact us:

Once we receive your enquiry, we aim to respond within 24 hours, so you won't be left waiting.

You will then be offered a free consultation, which can take place online via Zoom/Teams, or by telephone, so that we can meet each other, and understand what brings you to counselling. We will then be in a better position to decide if we are a good fit to work together. The counselling process is collaborative and feeling comfortable with your therapist is essential. No two individuals are the same and what suits one person, might not suit another. There is no obligation to go ahead, and we won't be offended if you decide our approach to counselling is not for you. Equally, it is important for therapists to work within their limits of expertise and if we feel what you are bringing is outside of our limits we will do our best to signpost you to get the help you need.

If we both decide we would like to proceed we will book our first session for a mutually agreeable date and time, and will provide you with payment details.

We will then send you a copy of our contract. This isn't a lengthy document, but it is important to make you aware of confidentiality and the exceptions, data protection etc. We will also talk through the contract at the start of our first session together and you can ask any questions or concerns you may have, and once you are happy with it, we will both sign.

In our first session we will also establish a goal for our work together. This is something that we will keep checking in on throughout the process, with a review every few weeks. We offer open ended counselling which means the length of the process is up to you and we will work towards an ending when you feel you are ready to. Each process is entirely different, with some clients wanting short-term therapy and others wishing to work longer term. Sometimes clients find that through our work together their goal changes, and that is fine too.

Getting Started

If we both decide to proceed, we will:

• Book our first session for a mutually agreeable date and time
• Provide you with payment details
• Send you our contract covering confidentiality and data protection
• Review and sign the contract together at our first session

Goal Setting & Progress

In our first session we will establish a goal for our work together. This is something that we will keep checking in on throughout the process, with a review every few weeks. We offer open-ended counselling which means the length of the process is up to you and we will work towards an ending when you feel you are ready to.

Each process is entirely different, with some clients wanting short-term therapy and others wishing to work longer term. Sometimes clients find that through our work together their goal changes, and that is fine too.