FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Do I need therapy? I don't think anybody 'needs' counselling, I see it as more of an aid. Ultimately, only you can decide - you know you best. Consider that there may be protective parts of your personality preventing you from therapy. This can sometimes be putting something off that will help - like putting off surgery...
2. How long will I need to come for? It is different for everyone, there are lots of external factors to therapy, like what is going on in your life, which will impact on your process. Anywhere from 1 to 30 sessions is most common, and some people come for years.
3. Shouldn't I just talk to my friends & family? Yes, do - if you trust them if they are good listeners and care about you. However, a professional who is trained and experienced can offer you a different kind of support, helping you feel and think differently about yourself and others. A therapist should not have an agenda, as your friends and family might.
4. Will it work? Research has shown some therapy is better than no therapy at all. AEDP, Brainspotting EMDR, EMI, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy & IFS therapy are modern therapies that have a very high 'therapeutic effect'
5. Which counsellor should I choose? It's difficult without actually meeting the therapist in person. We all get on with people differently. I think it's important to feel comfortable enough to open up to someone. I think it's also important that your therapist is trained in as many therapies as possible. Consider that all counsellors have different training and experience. I charge a bit more than the average counsellor because I'm trained in more therapies than 'counselling' alone.
6. Can I send/refer a relative or friend to you? No, the person who comes for therapy must 'self-refer', this is an important step in recovery and the process.
7. Can I fund someone else's sessions, e.g son, daughter, partner? First of all ask the person, and decided on how many sessions will be funded. Therapy can continue for years sometimes, it's best to be transparent and realistic... 6 sessions is a minimal amount and often not enough for things like PTSD and Complex Trauma. I do not take Social Services referrals.
8. Do you offer introductory calls/chats? No, I don't think they give any idea of how a therapist really is, and I also think they can be very unethical, if something comes up in a 15 min chat - it does not leave time to deal with it appropriately. They can also put people off going into therapy. You might think of it this way, just because a Dr. has a 'good bedside manner' it doesn't mean they are a good Dr. You'll generally find therapists who have few clients, or are newly qualified to offer 'free introductory chats'. If you want to ask me any questions though, you can call me, and I'll call back if I can. Or just book in for a 50-minute session, and you can use that time however you want.
Take a look at the page Perceptions of Counselling, which may also answer some of your questions.
2. How long will I need to come for? It is different for everyone, there are lots of external factors to therapy, like what is going on in your life, which will impact on your process. Anywhere from 1 to 30 sessions is most common, and some people come for years.
3. Shouldn't I just talk to my friends & family? Yes, do - if you trust them if they are good listeners and care about you. However, a professional who is trained and experienced can offer you a different kind of support, helping you feel and think differently about yourself and others. A therapist should not have an agenda, as your friends and family might.
4. Will it work? Research has shown some therapy is better than no therapy at all. AEDP, Brainspotting EMDR, EMI, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy & IFS therapy are modern therapies that have a very high 'therapeutic effect'
5. Which counsellor should I choose? It's difficult without actually meeting the therapist in person. We all get on with people differently. I think it's important to feel comfortable enough to open up to someone. I think it's also important that your therapist is trained in as many therapies as possible. Consider that all counsellors have different training and experience. I charge a bit more than the average counsellor because I'm trained in more therapies than 'counselling' alone.
6. Can I send/refer a relative or friend to you? No, the person who comes for therapy must 'self-refer', this is an important step in recovery and the process.
7. Can I fund someone else's sessions, e.g son, daughter, partner? First of all ask the person, and decided on how many sessions will be funded. Therapy can continue for years sometimes, it's best to be transparent and realistic... 6 sessions is a minimal amount and often not enough for things like PTSD and Complex Trauma. I do not take Social Services referrals.
8. Do you offer introductory calls/chats? No, I don't think they give any idea of how a therapist really is, and I also think they can be very unethical, if something comes up in a 15 min chat - it does not leave time to deal with it appropriately. They can also put people off going into therapy. You might think of it this way, just because a Dr. has a 'good bedside manner' it doesn't mean they are a good Dr. You'll generally find therapists who have few clients, or are newly qualified to offer 'free introductory chats'. If you want to ask me any questions though, you can call me, and I'll call back if I can. Or just book in for a 50-minute session, and you can use that time however you want.
Take a look at the page Perceptions of Counselling, which may also answer some of your questions.
