Initial Contact
My first contact with a client is usually when they ring me to enquire about a session. If I am unavailable please leave a message and contact details and I will return your call as soon as I can. To ensure your privacy is protected I will not discuss your counselling with anyone but yourself, unless you ask me to do so. I will ask you for a brief summary of why you want counselling and give you the opportunity to ask any questions. After this, if we both feel that counselling is a good idea, then we book a session.
Email enquiries are also welcome and I will return your email as soon as possible.
Starting Counselling
At the first session we discuss why you have come to counselling and what you want out of it. Do not worry if you are not clear on these issues, we can still assess what you need.
During this session I will explain what is involved in counselling i.e. confidentiality, the process, how counselling can help etc. You also have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about counselling.
During this initial meeting we will also discuss the number of sessions required. All decisions are made jointly and will be based on your specific needs and circumstances as well as on what will be effective therapeutically. Many clients only need a few sessions to resolve their issues. However, some issues can be complex and take several months to resolve.
What happens in a counselling session?
I offer different ways to have counselling. You can come and see me in person for face to face counselling in Leamington Spa. I also offer counselling by Skype, Zoom or telephone. This allows you to work with me wherever you are. This can be helpful for people who cannot travel or who work abroad. With the emerging concerns regarding Coronavirus it also allows you to access counselling when needed but without the risks of person to person contact.
A counselling session involves talking about your thoughts, feelings and behaviour so that you can fully understand what you are experiencing. If you are hoping to change how you feel, think or behave then we look at how to achieve your goals. These might be to:
Live your life to the full by stopping procrastination and self-sabotage
- Be more focussed, effective and balanced in life
- Stop angry outbursts and feelings of overwhelm
- Learn to relax and deal with anxiety affectively
- Improve self-esteem and assertion
- Clarify and achieve life/career goals
- Deal effectively with problems in your relationships or work life
- Feel happy and full of the joy of life
It may be that you have one goal or many to work towards.
Because we are all unique, I always ensure that the work we do is tailored to your exact needs. When I counsel I will use whatever approach I believe is going to be most effective in helping you to achieve your goals.
We usually review our progress on a regular basis. Some clients find it helpful to gradually taper off the frequency of the sessions. You will usually know when you don’t need counselling any more.