Frequently Asked Questions About Counselling

 Starting counselling can feel like a big step, particularly if you’re not sure what to expect.

Below are answers to some of the questions people often have before getting in touch. If there’s something I haven’t covered, you’re always welcome to ask.

 I offer online counselling to adults across the UK.

Sessions take place by video call, so you can attend from somewhere private and comfortable without needing to travel.

You’ll need a phone, tablet or computer with a reliable internet connection and somewhere you feel able to talk confidentially.

Apart from being online, the session works much like counselling in person. We’ll have 50 minutes to talk about whatever feels important to you.

 Walking therapy gives you the opportunity to have counselling while walking outdoors rather than sitting in a traditional therapy room.

I offer walking therapy in Stockport and the surrounding area.

We agree where to meet beforehand and walk at a pace that feels comfortable for you. It isn’t about exercise or how far we walk. The focus is still on the counselling.

Some people find that walking side-by-side makes talking feel a little easier or less intense.

 Sessions are £50 for 50 minutes.

This applies to both online counselling and walking therapy.

 You can contact me through my website, by email or by phone.

You don’t need to write a long explanation. A simple message saying you’re interested in counselling is enough to get the conversation started.

 That’s completely fine.

You don’t need to arrive with a diagnosis or a perfectly explained problem.

Sometimes people simply know that they feel stuck, overwhelmed, low, anxious, disconnected or not quite themselves.

We can start with whatever you do know and work from there.

You don’t need to prepare anything before a session.

Some people arrive knowing exactly what they want to discuss. Others sit down and realise they have no idea where to begin.

Both are okay.

If you’re unsure where to start, we can slow things down and explore what has been happening in your life recently.

It happens.

You don’t have to fill every second of the session or arrive with enough material to talk for 50 minutes.

There may be pauses, moments where you don’t know what to say, or times when something takes a while to put into words.

There’s no pressure to perform counselling “properly”.

No.

I won’t make decisions for you or tell you how you should live your life.

What I can do is listen, ask questions, help you explore different perspectives and work with you to understand what might be keeping you stuck.

The aim is to help you become clearer about what you want and what feels right for you.

Not necessarily.

My approach is person-centred, which means the sessions are led by what is important to you, but that doesn’t mean I simply sit in silence.

I may ask questions, reflect things back to you or draw attention to patterns that seem important.

I can also draw on CBT and Transactional Analysis where they may be useful.

Counselling isn’t only for people in crisis.

You may be functioning perfectly well on the outside but still feel unhappy, uncertain, stressed, lost or as though something needs to change.

You don’t have to wait until things become unbearable before asking for support.

There isn’t one answer that suits everybody.

Some people come for a relatively short period to work through something specific, while others find longer-term counselling more helpful.

We can regularly review how the sessions are going and whether you feel they are still useful.

You are not committing to a fixed number of sessions when you start.