What to Expect
Our first therapy session:
Usually following a brief telephone conversation, I will send you our agreement (the terms under which I practice) via email and will try to answer any questions you have.
We will agree a day and time and I will confirm this by email or message.
Covid 19 meant that after specific training I began like most others, to work remotely via video platform or telephone. This has been working well and I plan to continue working this way for the immediate future.
The initial therapy session can be daunting as it is all unknown and I do appreciate this fact. I therefore prefer that we treat the initial session as a vehicle by which we understand the process to come and gain a level of comfort that allows us to embark on it.
The initial session usually involves a conversation about what brings you to therapy, what is on your mind and what you are hoping to get out of the process. We will move at your pace and in a way that feels comfortable for you.
To create a consistent, therapeutic relationship, our sessions will usually take place on the same day at the same time every week – please see this as your time.
Individual sessions last 50 minutes and couples’ sessions are 60 minutes.
What to expect during counselling and common questions you may have.
Couples
When a couple enters therapy, I consider that my client is one unit; ‘the relationship’. This means that my allegiance is to the couple unit and not to either partner as individual. In practice therefore, this means that I cannot begin a couple session until you’re both in the room. Equally, all communication I send will be to both of you, and if I receive a communication from just one of you, I’ll reply openly to both yourself and your partner. If one of you divulges a secret ‘in confidence’, I’ll choose either to break the confidentiality or to terminate therapy.
Adolescents
If prospective clients are under the age of eighteen, parents/guardians are usually involved in arranging the therapy, signing my agreement on behalf of the young person and are responsible for paying the fee. I will try to include the young person as much as possible in the initial communication, but I appreciate this is not always practical.
Going forward the content of our therapy sessions will remain confidential between me and the young person. Please see the section on confidentiality for the limited exceptions to this.
Confidentiality
The relationship between a therapist and client is based on trust.
Anything a client discloses to me will be treated as confidential unless I should feel that you (or in the case of a couple, either of you) are a danger to yourself or to others, in which limited instance I reserve the right to inform relevant outside agencies. If a case of this nature should arise, I would, as far as I determine is appropriate, inform you first.
Get In Touch
Call
Address
New Southgate, N11
Hours
Mon - Fri: 10am - 9pm
Weekends: 10am - 3pm