Getting To Know Each Other
I offer a free, no-obligation consultation by Zoom or phone to give you chance to ask any questions about therapy, get a sense of my personality, approach and whether you would like to work with me. This is only an introduction and opportunity to ask questions, not therapy itself.
Beginning…
All my sessions are currently by Zoom (with or without video) or phone but I’m happy to consider using other platforms like Microsoft Teams.
The first counselling session needs to begin with agreeing the boundaries of our work together, including commitments on confidentiality and data protection. These are contained in the Therapy Terms and Conditions document. A sample copy can be sent to you on request.
All our discussion is in total confidence, which is why it is essential that you find somewhere private to speak without danger of being overheard. However, there are a few, very rare and serious circumstances when confidentiality may need to be broken which will covered in the Therapy Terms and Conditions and explained before counselling begins.
While I will always try to offer some helpful insight or encouragement from the very first session, the majority of the first two sessions, and perhaps parts of later ones, is spent understanding what brought you to therapy and what you would like to change.
I’ll also be agreeing with you the style of counselling you would prefer as well as the blend of therapeutic approaches likely to be most helpful. You might want simply an accepting and empathic space to express yourself at your own pace and work out your ideas or, alternatively, structured solution-focussed analysis to enable speedy change. Or a bit of both. On my side, as I adhere to the BACP Ethical Code Of Practice, if I think the causes of your difficulties are beyond my ability to support I will let you know as soon as possible.
Each session costs £50, which must be paid at least 48 hours before the session by bank transfer or credit/debit cards via secure Stripe payments (link provided). Unfortunately I can currently only accept clients who live in the UK or Ireland.
….and Continuing
We can work together for as many or as few sessions as you would like.
Generally sessions are weekly although occasionally they may be twice weekly for clients in the early stages and taper off to fortnightly or less often before therapy finally ends – it’s up to you.
Sessions are usually 50 minutes long – what is known as the ‘therapeutic hour’ – as clients often find longer than this too tiring. This can be varied though by agreement.
All sessions are conducted in compliance with UK law and data protection regulation. Brightness & Balance is registered with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office which ensures personal data is managed securely. There is more detail in how your counselling information is managed in the Therapy Terms and Conditions which includes the Brightness & Balance Privacy Policy.
The British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists, my professional regulatory body, requires all counsellors/psychotherapists to have a supervisor no matter how long they have been practicing, whether that’s a week or decades. A supervisor’s role is to provide a second opinion on treatment approach and confirms all therapy is being delivered competently and ethically. No client details are shared that would allow a client to be identified.
Finally, Brightness & Balance may not be right for you if you’re looking for:
- Couple or group counselling
- Counselling for under 18s.
- Support with physical detoxification from addictive substances
- Support with complex PTSD, flashbacks or hallucinations