FAQ’s

Fees and payment

Each session is £50 for 60 minutes, this includes couples work whilst I am in training as a couples therapist. I ask for payment to be made by bank transfer before you arrive.

I offer £45 sessions for low income, students, trainee counsellors and unemployed. I also offer a block booking rate of 6 sessions for £250. This must be paid for in advance. If that’s too much I’m happy to hear about what would make counselling affordable for you.

I offer weekly or fortnightly sessions. Some clients then move onto monthly sessions (subject to availability).

Are you a counsellor or a psychotherapist?

My qualification is in integrative counselling and psychotherapy - so both! I use the words inter-changably.

How do you work with couples?

When working with couples I’ll be focusing on giving each of you time to express your thoughts and feelings about the relationship as it is now, and how you want it to evolve. This might be being better able to meet each others needs, ending the relationship with the least damage, or focusing on a particular challenge such as whether to have a(nother) child, make a big life change, support in each other in shared (but distinctly different) responses to grief, or redress the boundaries of a relationship.

All communication and sessions will include both of you, and when contracting I’ll explain that I don’t hold secrets. This means is something is shared with me that the other person doesn’t know the counselling may have to end.

I am worried about finding the venue for face to face and walk and talk sessions?

I work from Brookfield Yard, S7 1DG, it’s just off Abbeydale Road. The building is easy to find and access by car, bike, bus or on foot. Free parking is available on nearby streets. You can see pictures of it here and see a video here

I offer walk and talk sessions during daylight hours in Ecclesall Woods or Millhouses Park and/or Hutcliffe Woods. Ecclesall Woods and Hutcliffe Woods have rougher paths; Millhouses Park is flat and is suitable for wheelchairs and other mobility issues. Both venues have lots of benches and public toilets (the availability of these depends on the time of our sessions).

Before we meet I will send you clear instructions, with photos, of how to find the location you’ve chosen.

What happens during the free introductory phone call/Zoom?

This free 20 minute session will be a chance for you to see and/or hear me and ask any questions you might have about how I work, or practical questions about my room, frequency of sessions, fees etc. I’ll ask a few questions about what is life like for you at the moment, why are you looking for counselling now, and what your goals might be (it doesn’t matter if you aren’t sure - we can explore that together). If I feel I’m not the best person to support you I might be able to help you find the support you’re looking for. If it feels right for both of us we can arrange to meet for a first session. If you’d like longer with me to make a decision you could opt for a half price trial session.

What happens during a half price (£25) trial session?

I’ll be similar to the free 20 minute session described above, but instead we’ll have 60 minutes to explore what you are hoping to get out of counselling. If the thought of this makes you nervous rest assured that I’m very experienced at putting you at ease and helping you get the most from the time. I might invite you to introduce me to the problems that bring you to counselling, what life’s like for you now, or your hopes for the future. You’ll get a chance to feel what a session with me is like and ask me questions. At the end you can let me know if you want to continue working together, take some time to think about it and get back to me, or maybe one session will be enough.

Do you work online or on the phone?

Yes, as long as we both feel it’s appropriate for the issues you are bringing. Sometimes clients can disclose more on the phone/online than they might in person, and this can mean that they may feel a bit vulnerable after a session. If we do work remotely we will talk about how we can both approach this to ensure the work stays safe and meaningful. Couples work is currently face to face only.

Why do you offer walk and talk sessions for individual counselling?

Movement can be therapeutic in itself and some people find it easier to talk whilst walking/travelling forwards, others may prefer it because it doesn’t involve direct eye contact. Being in green places is very important to some people and has many positive benefits on the mind and body. Some clients may choose this option because they are already aware of this. Others may be curious about how it might benefit them and want to give it a go. I ask clients to wear appropriate clothes and footwear, suitable for changing weather, and a reasonable level of mobility is required (on feet or wheels). The session can be paced to suit all levels of fitness (benches are available!). There are some additional considerations with this type of session such as how would you feel if something you said was overheard. We can discuss any concerns you have in our introductory chat, or via email. You can read more about walking therapy here.

What reasonable adjustments can you make?

If you are having face to face sessions I can offer: a choice of seating and seating positions (eg facing each other, side by side, on the floor), low lighting, fidgets, use of soft blankets and pillows, comfort breaks during the session, walking around during the session. I can’t offer: a silent room (there are occasional noises from the business upstairs), bare walls (there are plants in the room, and pictures on the walls).

If you are having online sessions I can offer: my screen off, your screen off, low lighting, adjustments to my background, breaks during the session, walking around in the session. I can’t offer: a different platform (I use Zoom).

I’ve had negative experience of counselling in the past. I’m worried it will happen again.

When we start working together I’ll ask about previous experiences of counselling, and what was helpful or unhelpful. I’ll do all I can to avoid repeating any negative experiences, and if I do, I’ll be very happy to talk about it.

I’m nervous about the whole thing!

It’s really common to feel anxious before you approach a counsellor - it’s a really brave thing to do. It might help to think about other times you’ve gone outside your comfort zone and how it might have helped you. Or hold in mind that if it’s not for you, you can stop coming!

How many sessions might I need?

Some people might find a few sessions is enough for them, or is all they can afford at this time, in which case we’ll work in quite a focused way. Others might not know how many sessions they will need, in which case we will regularly review whether counselling is continuing to help you feel better.

I’m open to one off sessions, meeting fortnightly, or working in an open ended way (meaning there is no set end date).

What is your cancellation policy?

If you cancel with more than 24 hours notice the fee is £25. If you cancel with less than 24 hours notice I ask for the full fee.

What if I’m not happy with the counselling you provide?

I’d really encourage you to talk to me about what you’re not happy with. If I’ve made a mistake, or hurt you, I will want to respond to it. You could tell me in a session, or you could email me, or send me a message on text or WhatsApp. Although this can be really hard to do it can be really beneficial to work on resolving it together. If you feel you can’t talk to me about it you could contact a service run by BACP for any client accessing counselling here. They provide a 30 min call to talk though how you might approach it with me, or provide you with reassurance or signposting. If you remain unhappy with the service I provide you may want to make a formal complaint. You can do this through my professional association, the NCPS, here