Frequently Asked Questions

Therapy provides a confidential and non-judgemental space where you can talk about what is happening in your life, explore your thoughts and feelings, and begin to understand patterns that may be affecting you.

I work collaboratively with you, meaning we work together to identify what you would like to achieve from therapy and which therapeutic approach may be most helpful.

You don't need to have everything figured out before you begin. We can work that out together.

People seek therapy for many different reasons. You may be experiencing a specific difficulty, or you may simply feel that something isn't right and you want to understand yourself better.

No.

Many people come to therapy knowing that they aren't feeling themselves but aren't sure why.

You don't need a diagnosis, a clear explanation or a list of things to talk about.

We can begin with whatever feels most important to you and work from there.

Sessions are usually 50 minutes.

Your individual arrangements, including session frequency and the overall length of therapy, will be discussed with you and tailored to your needs.

This depends on your individual circumstances and what you want to achieve.

Some people benefit from short-term, focused therapy, while others choose to work for longer when exploring more complex or longstanding difficulties.

We will regularly review your progress and discuss whether therapy continues to be helpful.

There is no set number of sessions that applies to everyone.

Factors such as what has brought you to therapy, how long you have been experiencing difficulties and what you would like to achieve can all influence the length of therapy.

Therapy is a process rather than a quick fix, and we will work at a pace that feels appropriate for you.

I work as an integrative therapist, drawing from different approaches according to your individual needs.

These include:

EMDR – particularly for trauma and distressing experiences that continue to affect you.

CBT – exploring the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

Psychodynamic therapy – exploring how previous experiences and relationships may influence your current emotions, behaviours and relationships.

I may combine approaches where this is appropriate and beneficial.

Therapy is confidential, and what you discuss with me will be treated with respect and privacy.

There are some professional and legal limitations to confidentiality, which will be explained to you at the beginning of therapy.

You don't have to talk about everything straight away.

Some experiences can be extremely difficult to discuss, particularly if they involve trauma, abuse, shame or grief.

We can take things at a pace that feels manageable for you.

You remain in control of what you share and when.

Not necessarily.

Your childhood may be relevant to understanding some of the difficulties you are experiencing today, but we will only explore this if it is appropriate and helpful for you.

Therapy is guided by what you need.

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing.

It is a therapeutic approach that can help people process distressing or traumatic experiences that continue to affect them.

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating sounds, while you focus on aspects of a difficult experience.

The aim is to help reduce the emotional intensity associated with the memory and allow it to become something you can remember without feeling as though you are experiencing it again.

No.

EMDR can be helpful for people experiencing a range of difficulties connected to distressing or overwhelming experiences.

It may be considered for trauma, childhood experiences, emotional abuse, relationship trauma, grief, anxiety and other experiences that continue to affect you.

An assessment will help determine whether EMDR is appropriate for you.

Not necessarily.

EMDR does not require you to provide a detailed account of every aspect of a traumatic experience.

We will first focus on establishing safety, stability and appropriate coping resources before beginning trauma processing.

You remain in control throughout the process.

Therapy can sometimes bring difficult emotions to the surface, particularly when exploring painful experiences.

However, we will work at a pace that is appropriate for you and focus on helping you develop ways of managing difficult emotions.

If something feels too much, we can slow down, pause or change our approach.

Yes.

Therapy can help you understand relationship patterns, communication difficulties, boundaries, trust, emotional needs and the impact of previous experiences on your relationships.

I also offer couples and relationship therapy for couples who want to work together on their relationship.

Yes. Couples therapy provides a space for both partners to explore difficulties within their relationship, improve communication and understand the patterns that may be creating conflict or disconnection.

Couples therapy can also be helpful when trust has been damaged or when you are uncertain about the future of your relationship.

Where appropriate, therapy may be available online, providing a flexible option for adults who cannot attend sessions in person.

The suitability of online therapy will be discussed with you before beginning.

The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and for you to explain what has brought you to therapy.

We will discuss your current difficulties, relevant background information and what you would like to achieve.

It is also an opportunity for you to ask questions and consider whether you feel comfortable working with me.

There is no expectation that you have to tell me everything in your first session.

That's completely okay.

You don't need to prepare a speech or know exactly where to start.

We can begin with what has prompted you to seek therapy and take things from there.

Sometimes simply saying “I don't really know what's wrong, but I know I don't feel okay” is enough to begin.

That's okay.

There is no need to apologise for crying.

Therapy is a space where emotions are welcome, and you don't have to hold everything together.

The relationship between therapist and client is an important part of therapy.

It is completely reasonable to take some time to decide whether you feel comfortable with a therapist.

The initial session gives us both an opportunity to see whether working together feels right.

Single sessions counselling £60.

Couple session counselling £70.

If you would like to discuss therapy, you can get in touch to arrange an initial appointment or discuss whether therapy may be suitable for you.

You don't have to have all the answers before making contact.