Counselling with me
A space that's yours
Starting counselling can feel like a big step.
You might feel relieved to have finally found someone to contact, but you might also be nervous about what happens next.
You don't need to arrive with a neat explanation for why you're struggling or a perfect understanding of everything that's happed- that's what we will work on together.
The first part of our work is simply getting to know each other and finding out whether working together feels right for you. Even just the name of a feeling you are struggling with, or a thing you've noticed about yourself can be excellent at leading us into the areas your struggling with.
I offer counselling to adults in person, online and by telephone.
Face to Face Sessions
My counselling room is in Preston, Weymouth, Dorset.
It's a quiet and private space, with free parking outside. The office is next to fields and close to the sea, so it offers a little distance from the busyness of everyday life.
If you prefer being in the same room as your counsellor, don't have a private space at home, or simply feel that face-to-face counselling would suit you better, this may be the right option for you.
Online Sessions
Online sessions take place via Zoom.
This can be a useful option if you live further away, prefer the comfort of your own surroundings, or find it easier to fit counselling around work, family or other commitments.
You'll need somewhere private where you feel comfortable talking, as well as a reliable internet connection.
Telephone Sessions
How much does counselling cost?
Counselling doesn't have to involve being on camera.
For some people, talking on the telephone feels more natural or less exposing than sitting face-to-face or using video.
Telephone sessions are also 50 minutes, and you'll need a reliable phone connection and somewhere private where you can talk.
Free initial telephone consultation: 15–20 minutes
Counselling session: £75 for 50 minutes
The same fee applies to face-to-face, online and telephone sessions.
How often would I have counselling?
Most of my clients attend weekly.
Regular sessions can give us enough continuity to build a relationship and explore things in depth, whilst being safe and pacing things to give you the outcome you want.
I mainly offer open-ended counselling, which means there isn't a set number of sessions you have to complete.
Some people come for a few sessions around a particular difficulty. Others want longer-term support and the opportunity to explore things more deeply.
We'll review how things are going together rather than assuming that everyone needs the same amount of time.
What happens next?
Not sure what to do next?
That's completely ok!
Heres a bit of a breakdown of what you can expect:
1. You get in touch
You can use my contact form to tell me a little about what's brought you to counselling and let me know your availability.
You don't need to write a long explanation, no need to panic, just a whatever words feels describe what you'd like to work on.
2. We have a free telephone consultation
I'll email you to arrange a time for a short phone call, usually around 15–20 minutes.
This gives us a chance to talk about what you're looking for, ask any initial questions and see whether it feels as though we might work well together.
There's no obligation to book counselling afterwards.
3. We arrange your first session
If we both feel that working together could be a good fit, we'll arrange your first appointment.
I'll send you my counselling agreement beforehand so you have the opportunity to read through the practical information about our work.
4. We start where you are
Our first session gives us time to talk about what's happening for you, what you'd like support with and anything important for me to understand.
After that, we can begin to explore things at a pace that feels manageable for you.
You don't have to know exactly where the counselling will take you.
We'll work it out together.
Is counselling right for me?
If you're asking yourself this question, you might already have a sense that something isn't quite working for you.
You don't have to be at breaking point to ask for help.
You don't need a particular diagnosis.
And you don't need to have experienced something that other people would describe as “traumatic”, and if you have, that's ok too.
Counselling can be a place to explore whatever is important to you—whether that's your relationships, your confidence, your emotions, your sense of identity, difficult experiences from the past, or simply the feeling that you don't quite know how to be comfortable in your own life.
If you're unsure, that's exactly what the initial conversation is there for.
My approach
I work from a Humanistic Integrative approach, drawing particularly on Person-Centred Therapy, Gestalt and Transactional Analysis.
You don't need to understand any of those approaches before coming to counselling.
They're simply different ways of helping us understand what you're experiencing and find ways of working that are useful for you.
The most important part is the relationship we build and the fact that our work is collaborative.
You're the expert on your own life.
My role is to listen carefully, help you explore what is happening, offer observations and perspectives when they're useful, and support you as you work out what feels right for you.
Ready to talk?
If you're curious about counselling but still feeling a little nervous, that's okay.
You can tell me that when you get in touch.
Contact me for a free initial telephone consultation