Frequently Asked Questions

Counselling is a type of talking therapy aimed at helping you improve your wellbeing by talking through issues causing you emotional distress. Through a counselling relationship you can discover more about yourself and your experiences, by having personal conversations where you are listened to and validated without judgement.

By focusing mainly on current problems, as a trained counsellor I can support you to explore and understand how you think and feel about any number of issues. Unlike what you may experience in your other relationships, I'll resist the temptation to give you my opinion, offer you advice, or tell you what I think you 'ought' to do—I promise! Instead, I'll help you make sense of any issues causing you emotional distress, by encouraging you to consider different perspectives.

People come to counselling for all sorts of reasons. For you it could be to address an issue from your past, or to help you manage a significant life event. In either case, counselling can help you have a better understanding of yourself, others and your experiences, and can lead to changes in the way you handle relationships and deal with issues. Your experience of counselling, like with many others, may also result in you feeling more confident, and seeing improvements in your overall wellbeing.

Still have questions about what counselling is, or if it's something you might benefit from? Book a free counselling consultation call to talk with me and see how I might be able to help you.

If you're struggling with your normal day-to-day life, responsibilities, or relationship, it might be that you'd benefit from counselling. Deciding to try counselling is a choice only you can make, but just talking to someone in confidence can make a big difference.

Counselling will offer you a regular time and space to talk about the challenges you're facing and explore your feelings. As a counsellor, I can also help you develop better ways of coping, so you can move forward and get the most out of life.

There are many reasons  you might want to consider counselling. Working with a counsellor can help with difficult life problems including dealing with depression and anxiety, relationship issues, coping with trauma, addiction, or learning how to manage unhelpful thoughts and behaviours.

Other difficulties you might want to address in counselling might be things like the loss of a loved one, addiction managing your anger or other uncomfortable emotions, or wanting to become more confident in yourself.

Whatever you're facing, having the space to speak openly about what's on your mind can help you make sense of how you're being affected, and exploring suitable ways of making the changes you'd like to see.

There may be someone close to you, a friend, family member or partner, who you're concerned about and think might benefit from counselling. Though I'm open to enquiries on behalf of someone else, I'd always recommend getting their consent and being sure they're okay with the idea of getting counselling support.

I'd also say, if you have a genuine concern for someone else's wellbeing and think counselling might help, first speak to them about it in a private and confidential setting where they'll feel free from judgement. It's also important you base your concerns on facts rather than hearsay, giving clear examples of what it is you've noticed that's the cause of your worry.

By expressing your concern this way, and emphasising you want to see them get help and feel better, you'll have a better chance of getting past any fears or stigma they may have in relation to mental health support. It's important you then leave them to make the decision to book a counselling consultation call with me for themselves, or with your support.

Yes, what we discuss in your sessions will be confidential. As a BACP registered counsellor I'm bound by their Ethical Framework, one of which is to 'protect the confidentiality and privacy of clients'. However, there are some situations where I might need to disclose what we discuss in your sessions. But these would relate to issues where I believe someone may be at risk of serious harm.

It's also worth noting that under the same Ethical Framework, I'm obliged to meet regularly with a supervisor who oversees and supports my work to ensure I'm maintaining a high level of good practice. To help them assist me, I discuss my client work, in general terms, without sharing personal identities. My supervisor is also required to protect information and privacy.

The number of sessions you have will depend on your circumstances, what you want to focus on, and where that takes us. Usually, my clients will have anything between 6-25 sessions. However, some have more, and others less.

Though there's no obligation, I always recommend starting with six sessions before reviewing progress and deciding next steps. Also, keep in mind that once you start sessions, things you weren't thinking about or aware of, may start to surface and need exploring. It's equally possible that you'll see progress much quicker than you'd expected, and our work can end sooner.

That said, coming to counselling with an open mind and being willing to talk honestly about your progress, is the most healthy approach.

The standard frequency for counselling sessions is once a week. This can help you speak about the changes and progress you're seeing from day-to-day. Although weekly sessions are typical, we'll review and adjust to meet your needs and progress. Many of my clients move to fortnightly or monthly sessions after a period of us working together.

Counselling sessions are 50-minutes long and usually arranged on weekly on a consistent day and time. This allows for routine and make it easier to manage availability. However, this can be flexible and is something we can talk about either during your counselling consultation call,or before we get started.

For convenience, session can also be arranged via my online booking system. Simply let me know if this would help.

Although I believe working face-to-face is the most ideal, I do offer online sessions over secure video platforms like Zoom. I understand where things like location and time commitments can be a challenge, so you can either work with me face-to-face, online, or take a more blended approach where we mix the two.

For sessions arranged off-line, fees must be paid at least 48 hours before your agreed session date. When booking a counselling session online, payment is required at the time of making your appointment. Sessions can also be paid for in blocks, and invoicing can be provided on request, if needed.

Yes, I do offer a limited number of concessions for those who genuinely need it and for students. If you fit into either category, we'll touch on your financial circumstances as part of your counselling consultation call to get a sense of what could work for us both.

My cancellation policy is to help retain a set time slot for you and to ensure I don't incur unnecessary costs. It's also important to note that your commitment to attend sessions is an important part of counselling.

So, except for in extenuating circumstances, a full fee is payable for missed and/or cancelled sessions. Cancellations need to be made by telephone or text within 24 hours of your scheduled session. If a voicemail message is left, you should also send a text, as voicemail may not be checked as regularly.

I will inform you of any planned absences which break the continuity of our work together. However, if I need to cancel a session due to unforeseen circumstances or an emergency, I'll let you know as soon as possible by telephone or text.

It's good practice for me to ask you for details of your General Practitioner (GP) details, because in the unlikely event of an emotional or psychological emergency while we're working together, I might need to contact them in the interests of your wellbeing and safety. It's worth noting, you're not obliged to provide these details.

My counselling sessions are normally available on an hourly basis from 9am until 4pm on weekdays only (finishing at 4:50pm). If you require sessions outside of these hours or at the weekends, I can recommend other registered therapists who may have availability to meet your needs.

In some extenuating circumstances I may agree to be available for you if there's a situation you're facing which may require additional availability. But typically, I'll only be available to speak or meet with you during your scheduled session times. In the case of crisis, you'll be expected to contact your GP, Samaritans (call free anytime, from any phone, on 116 123), or if needed, the emergency services.

Though it's best that you attend all sessions together, on occasions where only one of you can, I'll provide a one-on-one session. To maintain the consistency of your couples counselling, the issues raised with the individual who attended, may be shared when you next meet together.

Yes, the location of my office has good disabled access, if needed.

Yes, there are various parking options available nearby my office, as follows:

• Station Road Car Park
• Hampden Way Car Park
• Gloucester Leisure Centre (GL1)

Prices vary, so I'd recommend you check first.

Getting started is easy! Just book a free counselling consultation call to talk with me about what working together might look like and if we'd be a good fit. During the call we'll also consider your motivation for contacting me and talk through any questions you might have.

The main aim of coaching is to improve performance in whatever area of your life you choose to focus on. It could be your business, a relationship, your parenting, or your health. Many people find that when they engage in the coaching process, it becomes a powerful motivation for personal and professional growth.

Regardless of the type of coaching you go for, at its core, coaching is designed to help raise your self-awareness, and encourage personal responsibility and freedom. So, when approached with the right mindset and a willingness to put the work in, coaching can be a catalyst to lasting change—an unlocking of potential and performance.

Normally, coaching is a relationship between two or more people. It's a relationship where acceptance of responsibility is encouraged through exploration, choice and accountability. This is achieved through structured conversations and the use of various tools and activities, which I may introduce to help with self-discovery and growth.

Still have questions about what coaching is, or if it's something you might benefit from? Book a free coaching consultation call to talk with me and see how I might be able to help you.

There are a lots of reasons why you might consider working with a coach. Whether you're a leader, business owner, or busy professional, coaching can support you in making improvements in life. It can provide a dedicated space to explore personal and professional decisions, and help you to get a sense of clarity and direction on important issues and goals.

Though different to counselling, coaching can also raise your awareness to both understand and make changes to problematic patterns of thinking and behaviour. It can also help you become more resourceful with your strengths and develop a healthier view of yourself and your potential. This can then lead to you growing more confident in your ability to perform.

Coaching can also help you discover your purpose and the steps needed to make the changes you want to see. A coaching relationship offers accountability and support, both of which will increase your chances of success significantly. There are other benefits to coaching relating to skill and wellbeing—the acceleration of learning, improvements to your way of thinking, and the building of emotional resilience, are just some examples.

If you're facing a challenge in life, or in a space where you need clarity and direction, working with a coach could be the decision that helps you see change, and experience greater confidence, performance and fulfillment.

Both. As I have clients in different parts of the country and in other parts of the world, you'll have the option to meet face-to-face or remotely. All my online sessions are offered over secure video platforms like Zoom, and we could even do a hybrid of remote and face-to-face, if possible.

Yes, the location of my office has good disabled access, if needed.

Yes, there are various parking options available nearby my office, as follows:

• Station Road Car Park
• Hampden Way Car Park
• Gloucester Leisure Centre (GL1)

Prices vary, so I'd recommend you check first.

To talk about whether coaching is right for you, just book a free coaching consultation call, during which we'll consider what you'd like to achieve from coaching, which of my coaching packages might be best for you, and if we'd a good fit.