Both Counselling (and the more in-depth Psychotherapy) are known as ‘talking therapies’ delivered by a trained practitioner who will work with you over a short or long period of time to bring about change and or to enhance wellbeing.

Usually those who consult a therapist are experiencing difficulties or sometimes distress in their life. Feelings of isolation are not uncommon even when family or friends provide or offer their support. Confusion, anxiety and depression can also affect the individual for no apparent reason or when specific life events such as bereavement, divorce, work-related issues or health problems have an impact upon day-to-day living.

However, crisis is not the only reason why people choose to consult a therapist. You may be simply experiencing some dissatisfaction with life generally or perhaps you are seeking clarity, wanting to ‘take stock’ and reassess your life. Often therapy can assist in areas such as personal fulfilment, spirituality and personal development. It can also help to re-establish lost confidence making you feel better about yourself and the future, helping you to complete your personal jigsaw by finding the missing pieces.

Therapy is often described as ‘you time’. Time for you and your therapist to explore issues, problems or concerns at a mutually convenient time, date and place in a ‘safe’, quiet environment. Whatever you choose to bring to your therapy sessions will be completely confidential and you won’t be judged or criticised.

All therapists have their own way of working often referred to as ‘approaches’, ‘techniques’ or ‘modalities’, and you will enter into a ‘contract for change’ with your therapist, which can be reviewed and updated as the sessions progress. Quite often, the problem or issue you ‘present’ with will turn into something else as you explore in detail and as the trust builds between you and your therapist.

Rest assured that your therapist will be with you every step of the way and will understand how difficult the process might be for you. You will be given all the time and space you need and remember, every journey we take begins with a single step. Often that first step is the hardest one of all.

It’s a journey we will take together.

A ‘working agreement’, which could best be described as ‘an agreed set of boundaries’, should not be confused with a ‘legal agreement’.

Although common in the United Kingdom this type of informal agreement might be a new concept to some clients particularly in North America. This is purely an outline of mutual expectations during therapy and copy will be provided on assessment or at the beginning of the first session.