What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?

I use the term counselling to refer to focused, often time-limited work on particular issues, and psychotherapy to describe a more open-ended journey of exploration into the past and present. 

How long are the sessions?

Sessions are for 50 minutes and you would normally come each week (or for relationship therapy sessions are 75 minutes long). They continue for as long as they are needed. This is agreed between you and the counsellor.

Do you offer fortnightly or monthly sessions?

I offer sessions on a weekly basis as I have found this far more effective than spacing sessions out. Towards the end of therapy it can sometimes be helpful to space out the last one or two sessions.

Is there disabled access?

Unfortunately not. I see clients on the first floor and there are 2 steps to enter the house.

What if I am unsure about whether I want to have counselling?

Our first session together is an assessment to find out about the issues you would like to explore, something of your personal history and for both of us to see if we can work together. You are under no obligation to continue beyond the first appointment.

If we do agree to work together, we will agree an ongoing therapy contract, which sets out the timings of sessions and what happens in the event of cancellations or missed sessions.

What actually happens in the session?

In the session we will talk about issues affecting you in the present and may also explore your past and present relationships. If it suits your needs we may also do more creative activities using actions and voice or to explore you thoughts and feelings through drawing or writing. In CBT and Psychosexual Therapy I may take a more structured approach to current problems and agree practical exercises to do outside the session e.g. testing out a new approach to an area of difficulty.

Do you offer therapy online?

I keep a number of spaces for clients who wish to work online and can also see face to face clients online on occasion.  I use Zoom, a video platform to have sessions with clients and supervisees.