Counselling is a process through which you are able to reflect upon issues affecting your life, enabling you to make decisions and changes.
The counselling relationship will vary according to your needs, but could cover working through feelings associated with conception, pregnancy and birth, with IVF and other fertility treatments, unresolved issues from your own childhood, fears about becoming a parent, feelings associated with a difficult birth, unexpected feelings associated with parenting a small child, post natal depression, bereavement, developmental issues, addressing and resolving specific problems, making decisions, coping with crises, developing personal insights and knowledge, working through feelings of inner conflict, improving relationships with others and much more.
Counsellors do not give advice. I listen carefully to what you have to say and then help you to find your own way forward. My role is to help you find YOUR way through.
The counselling process will respect your abilities, age, culture, ethnicity, gender, personal resources, sexuality, and values.
Counselling can be difficult, even painful. You may feel like giving up. If you do, its best to discuss this with me and then we can find out if this is the time for you to work through the feelings of wanting to give up, or time to work towards a satisfactory ending.
Our work together is bound by the Codes of Ethics and Practice of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. In accordance with the Codes I am in regular supervision with a supervisor to whom I will talk about our work together. She is bound by the same Codes which include confidentiality. Supervision is a necessary part of my practice as a counsellor.
The only occasion on which I would breach confidentiality is if I considered you to be a very real danger to yourself or to others. I would make every effort to discuss this with you beforehand.
Alcohol and drug use almost certainly make a satisfactory outcome to counselling more difficult. Please do not attend a counselling session under the influence of alcohol or drugs - apart from prescribed medication that I will ask you about.
Sessions last one hour. I will arrange with you the time and frequency.
It is important that you are on time as I will have other appointments before and after yours.
Success in counselling depends on a high quality relationship. In recognition of this I offer a FREE half hour introductory session.
The fee for each subsequent counselling session is £47.50.
Since my practice is busy and there are people waiting to take cancellation spaces, I have found it necessary to ask for a minimum of 48 hours' notice of cancellation. This gives me sufficient time to contact those waiting.
Appointments cancelled without 48 hours¹ notice will, therefore, engender a cancellation charge of £22.50 with a full fee* charged for completely missed appointments and those cancelled with less than 4 hours¹ notice. I am sympathetic to extenuating circumstances.
I will give as much notice as possible should I need to change appointment times.
1. The aim of counselling is to provide an opportunity for a client to work towards living in a more satisfying and resourceful way.
2. Counselling is voluntarily and deliberately undertaken by counsellor and client. It is different from other ways of helping.
3. Before counselling starts, the counsellor clarifies with the client the basis on which counselling is to be given, including method, duration, fees and confidentiality; changes can subsequently be made only with the agreement of the client.
4. In counselling the right of the client to make his or her own decisions is respected.
5. Counsellors continually monitor their own skills, experience, resources and practice.
6. Counsellors will be properly trained for their roles and be committed to maintaining their competence.
7. Counsellors will not misrepresent their training or experience.
8. Counsellors have regular and appropriate supervision/consultative support.
9. Counsellors must not abuse their position of trust financially or emotionally or sexually.
10. All that takes place between the counsellor and client is treated with respect and discretion.
Reproduced with the kind permission of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
Having been committed to ongoing personal development since 1978, I began my therapeutic career in 1986 as an acupuncturist, and gained my first counselling qualification in 1988. In 1999 I received a B.Sc. (Hons) in Counselling from Coventry University. I am an accredited counsellor with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy in recognition of my training and experience.
I gained my counselling experience with the Psychological Therapies Department, Gulson Hospital, Coventry; Safeline, a charity for people sexually abused as children; and the Student Counselling Service, Warwickshire College, as well as counselling privately since 1991. I have created and facilitated workshops in Anger, Assertiveness, Bereavement & Suicide Awareness, Bullying, Celebrating Menstruation, Conflict Resolution, Communication Skills, Mediation, Parenting, Stress Management, and many others.
Some counselling clients have said...
“Thanks for your invaluable support”
“Thanks for being an excellent counsellor for me”
“You really made a difference!”
“You've helped me through!”
“Thankyou for all your help and support”
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