Initial Session

Assessment

The initial session provides the opportunity for both myself and the new client to make an assessment of his or her personal counselling needs.

Because one person might arrive feeling cool, calm and collected, whilst another is fragmented and in a state of considerable crisis, it is not my practice to follow a rigid or set format for this meeting, but rather to listen to and go along with whatever a person is saying and feeling at the time.

I am likely to take some notes and ask certain questions in order to understand and clarify for myself as best as is possible what is currently being experienced and felt in that individual's life.

Towards the end of this session - except in a very few number of cases when I might recommend an alternative therapist - if the individual has decided they would like to commit to further sessions, I will explain the nature, terms and conditions of my particular counselling  practice and discuss a mutually agreeable way forwards.


How long will the counselling take?

The assessment session lasts for a full hour; all subsequent sessions last for 50 minutes.

Weekly sessions are normally recommended, often reducing to fortnightly if the therapy continues over a longer period. Because people seek professional counselling for so many different reasons; (see About Counselling for more information about counselling) the length of time it will take for an improved sense of well being to occur will depend very much upon both the person and the nature of their problems.

Generally, significant improvements may be experienced within 6-12 sessions, or less in some instances: longer term work may sometimes be indicated where deeper rooted problems are evident or, indeed, where a person desires to use therapy as a means of helping them aspire towards their greater potentials.