What is counselling?
Counselling is a type of talking therapy where you can speak openly with a trained counsellor about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It can help with many different emotional or life difficulties and gives you a safe, supportive space to be heard.
By talking things through, counselling can help you understand your feelings better, notice patterns in how you think or behave, and find new ways to cope with challenges. For some people, simply being listened to can bring relief and a sense of clarity. For others, counselling can lead to deeper personal change over time. Overall, counselling aims to support emotional wellbeing, self-understanding, and help you move forward in a healthier, more positive way.
Talking itself can be very helpful because it meets some basic human needs:
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Making sense of feelings: Putting emotions into words can make them feel less overwhelming and easier to manage.
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Seeing things differently: Talking through problems can help you step back and look at situations from a new angle, rather than feeling stuck inside them.
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Feeling understood: Being listened to with care can help you feel accepted and reassured that your feelings are valid and that you are not alone.
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Finding ways forward: Speaking out loud can help organise your thoughts, clear confusion, and explore possible next steps with support.
Does a counsellor give advice?
Counsellors do not usually give advice in the sense of telling someone what they should or should not do. Instead, counselling is about helping you explore your own thoughts, feelings, and options so you can make decisions that feel right for you.
Rather than offering answers or solutions, a counsellor will aim to:
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Listen carefully and without judgement
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Help you understand what you are experiencing
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Encourage reflection and self-awareness
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Support you in recognising your own values, needs, and strengths
This approach respects your independence and recognises that you know your own life best. The counsellor’s role is to support you, not to direct you.
How are counselling sessions structured and what commitment is involved?
I offer counselling sessions in person in my private therapy room in my garden, as well as online or by telephone.
Sessions usually take place on the same day and at the same time each week, by mutual agreement. Meeting regularly can help provide consistency and a sense of support. It does mean committing to weekly sessions for a period of time, so it may be helpful to consider whether this feels right for you at the moment.
I offer a free 15-minute initial conversation, either by phone or online. This is your opportunity to ask questions, talk about what you’re looking for, and see whether I might be the right counsellor for you. Please note that this initial conversation is not a therapy session.
The length of time we work together can be short-term or longer-term, depending on what you would like from counselling. This is your choice and does not need to be decided at the beginning.
I also offer regular review points during our work together. These provide a chance to reflect on how things are going, revisit your goals, and discuss any changes that might be helpful. I welcome open and honest feedback, as this can really support the counselling process.
I want to begin counselling, what happens next?
Before we begin, I will ask you to complete a short assessment form. This helps me understand what has brought you to counselling and gives me some helpful background information. Once I’ve read this, I’ll send you a link to book your first appointment.
In our first session, we will look at the assessment form together and talk about what you would like from counselling. This helps us shape the work in a way that feels most useful for you. We will also go through a simple agreement that covers practical details such as confidentiality, boundaries, and session times, so everything is clear from the start.
Are counselling sessions confidential between the counsellor and client?
Yes, counselling sessions are confidential. What you share with me stays private and will not be shared with anyone else without your consent. This confidentiality helps create a safe and trusting space where you can talk openly.
There are a few rare situations where confidentiality may need to be broken, such as if there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else, or if I am legally required to share information. If this ever came up, I would aim to talk it through with you first wherever possible.
I also have regular supervision with a qualified supervisor, which is a normal and important part of ethical counselling practice. This helps ensure I am offering the best possible support. Any information shared in supervision is kept anonymous.
We will go through confidentiality in more detail and agree this together in our first session, so everything is clear and you know what to expect.
What is supervision?
Clinical supervision is a regular meeting that counsellors have with an experienced supervisor. It provides an opportunity to discuss client work, seek guidance, and ensure that the support they provide is safe and effective. Supervision helps counsellors maintain high professional standards, so you can feel confident in the care you receive.
Are notes taken and how are they stored?
Yes, I do keep brief notes after each session. These are factual notes and are used to help me remember important points and support our work together.
The notes are stored securely using WriteUpp, a secure online system, and are kept confidential in line with professional guidelines and data protection laws. You have the right to see your records if you wish.
Your notes will never be shared with anyone without your permission, except in very rare legal or safety situations, which I would discuss with you. Client notes are kept for seven years.
Are you professionally qualified?
Yes. I’m a fully qualified counsellor with a Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (CPCAB), as well as Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in Counselling Skills.
I continue to learn and develop through ongoing training, which helps me offer support that feels thoughtful, up to date, and responsive to you. This means I can work in a way that’s careful, respectful, and shaped around what you need.