Frequently Asked Questions
- What are your working hours?
- What is the waiting time?
- Do you provide a drop in service?
- Can I choose a male or female therapist?
- How long does an appointment last?
- Do I have to commit to a specific number of sessions?
- How many sessions will I need?
- How frequent will the sessions be?
- What are the qualifications of your counsellors and therapists?
- Is your counselling service confidential?
- Can I bring someone with me?
- If I want couples counselling can I come on my own for the first session?
- What happens at the first appointment?
- Do I need to pay for this consultation?
- Do the counsellors all work in the same way?
- Does the counsellor expect me to do most of the talking?
- Do you work with families?
- Will you be able to help?
- Is there a difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
- How do I get to your consulting rooms?
Appointments are available 8.30am - 7.30pm Mondays to Fridays. Earlier, later and Saturday appointments may sometimes be negotiated.
We aim to offer you an appointment within one week. One of our counsellors will call you within 24 hours of your enquiry to discuss the appointment with you.
No, sessions are by appointment only.
Yes, we make every effort to meet your request according to availability.
Approximately one hour.
No. You only need to commit to what you experience as being helpful to you.
Everyone's situation is different. Most people attend between 6 to 12 sessions.
Appointments may be weekly or less frequent according to your needs.
All our counsellors and therapists are professionally qualified, accredited and registered with UKCP or UKRC. Click here to view our profiles
Yes, the sessions are completely confidential and to comply with the Data Protections Act we do need your written consent to keep confidential notes of our conversations. The only exception to this confidentiality would be if you or someone else were considered to be at serious risk. In the rare event that we break confidentiality, this is done where possible with your consent and only to other professionals who absolutely need to know. e.g. GPs or Social Workers etc.
Yes it is sometimes useful to bring your partner, family members or even a friend.
Usually we find it more helpful to see a couple together for the first session but this is negotiable with the therapist when you make the appointment.
The first session is an opportunity for you and your therapist to meet, to assess the situation you would like help with and to decide if our services might be useful in enabling you to achieve your goals and desired outcomes.
Yes, because this is a very important part of therapy and of engaging with the most appropriate process for helping you.
The counsellors are trained mainly in a Systemic or Psychodynamic approach. However, they are all very experienced and draw ideas from different theoretical models. Please click here for more information on our special areas of interest.
We actively listen and participate in the conversation with questions and ideas of alternative perspectives that may be useful.
Yes. Usually two therapists will work together and sessions will be up to one and a half hours and spaced at three or four weekly intervals.
Most people benefit and feel positive and more empowered by discussing their issues with one of our therapists.
There are different definitions depending on different training models. One idea is that counselling often focuses more on immediate and specific issues whereas psychotherapy may have a long term effect on how you actually decide to do things in your life.
Your counsellor will explain public transport facilities and parking possibilities and exactly how to find us when he / she makes the appointment with you. Please click here to find out where we are.