about counselling and psychotherapy
There are many reasons people seek counselling - for example feeling depressed, anxious, stressed, a lack of purpose in life, low self-esteem or confidence, a specific trauma, loss or bereavement, or a general sense of a need to explore yourself and your feelings. I understand approaching counselling can be daunting and therefore offer a free 30-minute consultation to explore what you are looking for and what person-centred counselling and psychotherapy can offer you.
What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
With regards the therapeutic process, the terms are interchangeable, as it is the therapeutic relationship, and in particular the core conditions offered in person-centred therapy, that is key for effecting growth and change. However, whilst counselling is generally thought to provide immediate relief for issues, psychotherapy can be thought of as a deeper exploration of feelings and self and typically therefore involves a longer-term approach.
What is person-centred therapy?
What is person-centred therapy?
What is person-centred therapy?
The person-centred approach, also known as client-centred therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, is a branch of humanistic counselling and psychotherapy. It is founded on the premise that all human beings are wonderfully unique and individual, with an innate tendency, under the right conditions, to develop towards and fulfil their own potential (which can be blocked by certain life experiences, particularly those concerned with our sense of worth or value).
The therapeutic relationship offers these conditions, as the therapist provides unconditional acceptance, non-judgement and valuing, striving to empathically understand your experience from an authentic and genuine way of being.
Walking with you, respecting and trusting that you are an expert on yourself and your life, with the resources within to work out what's right for you, facilitates reconnecting with your personal power, self-trusting and movement in the direction of fulfilment, effecting healing, self-acceptance, change and growth.
This approach allows you to take things at your own pace - it is not directive or leading and generally does not involve note-taking within sessions or setting homework unless this is something you want to explore.
What to expect
What is person-centred therapy?
What is person-centred therapy?
A safe, comfortable space at my private practice in Twyford, near Winchester, where I aim to create a confidential, supportive, non-judgemental environment for one-to-one counselling.
We can meet either face-to-face, 'walk and talk', via video communication (Zoom) or telephone.
Initially, we can have a free 30-minute telephone consultation as an opportunity for me to share how I work and answer any of your questions so you can decide whether you feel we can move forward together.
If we agree to work together we will arrange to meet regularly at the same time each week for 50 minute sessions (a "counselling hour") or 60/90 minutes for couples / relationship counselling.
The counselling I offer is open-ended and therefore the the number of sessions is completely up to you and we can review this and your requirements regularly; as the counselling progresses you can decide for yourself how many sessions you feel you need.
I do recommend an initial minimum of 6 sessions in order to allow our work to evolve and after which it is easier for you to make an informed decision about whether or not you wish to continue your counselling. We will in any event review our work together after 6 sessions, after which, if we continue, our work becomes open ended until we end by agreement.
Confidentiality
What is person-centred therapy?
Confidentiality
Everything we discuss is confidential (further outlined in the GDPR policy).
There are certain conditions where I would need to break confidentiality such as immediate harm to yourself or others or a child protection issue, but I would always seek to discuss this with you before progressing.
As part of my adherence to ethical standards of best practice, in adherence with the policies of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), I have regular clinical supervision with another experienced counsellor to review my client work.