How long are the sessions?
Sessions last for one hour – as I do not have anywhere inside the property for clients to wait, I request that clients ring the doorbell at their appointment time. Thank you for your understanding.
What happens at the first session?
At the first session I will complete a short consultation form with you and we can set some goals of therapy.
I will also go through the ‘contract of engagement’ which basically sets out all the terms and conditions of therapy so everything is clear. This does not mean that you are tied into any form of contract, simply that everything is explained so that our work together can have maximum benefit for you.
We can both sign and date the contract and you will be given a copy to keep if you wish.
What are your fees?
My fee is £55 per session and this will be required to be paid on the day of the appointment. This can either be online (preferred), debit or credit card, or cash.
What is your cancellation policy?
If an appointment has been booked there is a 24 hour cancellation policy and if the session is missed, or cancelled within the 24 hours, the full fee is payable. Prior to this appointments can be cancelled or rescheduled by either contacting me by phone, email or text.
How many sessions are recommended?
This is difficult to say, as each client has individual needs. This can range from a one-off session, short term therapy over, say six weeks, or longer term when clients may stay for several months or years. This will be discussed at your first session and reviewed periodically.
What style of therapy do you use?
There are many different ‘styles’ of therapy, psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Humanistic, Gestalt etc. However I was originally trained in the integrative model which basically means I find out what the client needs from me and will look to adapt my counselling style to that client’s needs.
It is important that you feel comfortable with your chosen counsellor, and it’s OK to say if it doesn’t ‘feel right’ and is important to express this to your counsellor so the best option for you can be discussed.
Where are you located?
My consulting room is at the rear of my residential property on the ground floor. It is light and airy and private. My address is 18 Burwell Reach, Orton Longueville, Peterborough PE2 7ZE.
Is there parking available?
Yes, parking is available – either on my drive (right hand side only) in front of my house or at the side of my house.
What about COVID restrictions?
Although restrictions have been lifted, I am still ensuring an enhanced cleaning routine is carried out between clients. I currently take a temperature, and ask some brief questions with regard to any exposure to COVID. I do recommend clients take a lateral flow test before their appointment.
If you have any concerns in this regard, please do get in touch.
Do you see children for therapy?
No, the minimum age of client is 16. It is recommend to find a therapist who has had specific training in counselling children, and has an enhanced CRB certification.
Do you see couples for therapy?
No, I only specialise in one to one therapy so it is important to find a counsellor who is qualified to see couples.
If I am already seeing a client in therapy, if am unable to also see the partner individually as there would be a conflict of interest arising. It is suggested another counsellor is sourced for the partner.
What about ending our sessions?
This is a very important question and although it may seem strange to be talking about endings at our first session, it is important to recognise that the will be an end to the therapy, and if you decide to end the sessions, it is recommended to have a final session to ensure our work together can be concluded in a positive way.
What about privacy?
Again, confidentiality is important in therapy. I am registered with Group Data Protection and my membership number is ZA781535.
This means that I can only store data in a limited capacity for the purposes of sessions, and they will never be shared with anyone else.
I may make handwritten notes which are stored is a locked cabinet and have to be retained for 7 years.
What about disability access?
My room is located at the rear of the property and has a very small threshold to navigate to gain access.
Any special requirements need to be identified before the first session and I will do my best to accommodate these. There are no steps to navigate.
Finally …..
If you have any questions that have not been covered here, please do get in touch and I will be happy to answer them for you.