Finding the right counsellor for you is important and it can be difficult to take the first steps.
Here I will talk you through the process of what will happen next.
If you feel like you would like to come to counselling with me, then the first step would be to make contact. This is done by either ringing me, texting or emailing me. If it is necessary to leave a message, then I will aim to be in contact with you within 24hrs of receiving a message.
Counselling for individuals
The next step would be to see if you would like to arrange to meet for an initial session. An initial session is a good way for you to meet me and to begin to see if you feel comfortable speaking with me, I believe that it is really important for you to gain a sense of whether you feel comfortable speaking with me as the therapeutic relationship is a key element of feeling safe and heard. I will ask you to let me know what it is you would like to bring to counselling and what you hope to gain from counselling.
When you make an initial appointment, this can take place either, in person or online.
An initial session lasts 30mins and there is no obligation to commit beyond.
However, if you decide I am the counsellor for you, we will discuss and arrange a time which is mutually convenient. This will usually mean meeting at the same time each week, it will become your time and will usually remain the same for the duration of our time together. Counselling sessions for individuals are 50 minutes long and can be short term, up to 6 weeks, or longer term. I do suggest that there is an initial commitment of 6 sessions, as I believe this gives us the opportunity to form the therapeutic relationship. Towards the 6th session we will have an opportunity to review the counselling to see if you would like to continue beyond this point or whether you feel that you have gained what the goals you set out to achieve. There is no set estimation of the duration of the counselling process, and I have worked with clients for short term work, meaning up to 6 sessions, to longer term, meaning open ended.
My training and the way in which I work as a counsellor is Integrative, this means that I have an understanding of different models of counselling and will work with you to tailor the approaches which would benefit you the most. This may be solution focused or more explorative, focusing on issues that are presently in your life situation or issues from your past. I am able to use creativity e.g. drawing and painting as part of the process.
I endeavour to hold a warm, supportive, compassionate and empathetic space for you, where you can speak confidentially, and feel safe, respected and heard without judgment.
My Bristol based counselling practice is situated in Sycamore House, Kingswood and my Stroud based counselling practice is situated on Bisley Road, Stroud.
Counselling for couples
For counselling sessions with couples the modality I use is Imago therapy. https://gettingtheloveyouwant.co.uk/
One of the most important relationships we will ever have, will be the person whom we choose to commit to; the person whom we choose to build a life with, to create a family and future together.
Relationships go through different phases and stages throughout its evolution; from the joys of meeting and falling in love, to the settling in and creating a life together, to the challenges and turbulences and darker questions of, can there be a future together. We can feel whole and deeply connected as well as alone and disconnected within the relationship. A rollercoaster of emotions one might say of joys and dispair.
I came across the Imago way of working with couples several years ago. By witnessing dear friends of mine seeking relationship support for their marriage at a time when they were considering that their relationship was coming to an end and that separation was inevitable. What I witnessed, through their process with their therapist, was remarkable, it was not an ending of their relationship, but a deepening and reconnecting of their relationship, they were able to reconnect with the person that had fallen in love with all those years ago, and they were able to nurture the newness that came back into their relationship.
I was so inspired by this that I decided to formalise my learning and understanding of the Imago process by undertaking the training to enhance the therapeutic work that I was already doing with individuals and couples. To be able to assist couples and individuals to reconnect and live a deeper and richer togetherness.
I have also witnessed, when relationships do come to an end, that it is possible to bring an ending and closure to the relationship that is respectful and acknowledging of what was there before, but that is now past. Frequently, when a relationship does come to an end, there are children involved and finding a way to have good clear communications can make a big difference to the feeling of the family relationships going forward.
Throughout the pandemic I have been able to offer counselling sessions online and have found this to be a very effective way of working with couples and individuals. My aim is to continue to offer sessions online as well as in person.
Please get in touch to find out more and/or book an initial session.
An initial session is where you will be able to meet with me, let me know what it is you would like to bring to counselling and to get a feel for the way I work, and if this would be a supportive way forward for you and your relationship.
An initial session for couples is an hour. In the initial session there will be an opportunity for you both to let me know what it is that has brought you to the point on seeking couples counselling and what it is you would like to gain from sessions. You will both have the opportunity to speak with me and I will explain how the Imago process works and offer a brief introduction into how an Imago Dialogue would work.
Sessions after our initial session are between 1hr 30mins and would be weekly or fortnightly. (We will discuss this in the initial session).
Here I will talk you through the process of what will happen next.
If you feel like you would like to come to counselling with me, then the first step would be to make contact. This is done by either ringing me, texting or emailing me. If it is necessary to leave a message, then I will aim to be in contact with you within 24hrs of receiving a message.
Counselling for individuals
The next step would be to see if you would like to arrange to meet for an initial session. An initial session is a good way for you to meet me and to begin to see if you feel comfortable speaking with me, I believe that it is really important for you to gain a sense of whether you feel comfortable speaking with me as the therapeutic relationship is a key element of feeling safe and heard. I will ask you to let me know what it is you would like to bring to counselling and what you hope to gain from counselling.
When you make an initial appointment, this can take place either, in person or online.
An initial session lasts 30mins and there is no obligation to commit beyond.
However, if you decide I am the counsellor for you, we will discuss and arrange a time which is mutually convenient. This will usually mean meeting at the same time each week, it will become your time and will usually remain the same for the duration of our time together. Counselling sessions for individuals are 50 minutes long and can be short term, up to 6 weeks, or longer term. I do suggest that there is an initial commitment of 6 sessions, as I believe this gives us the opportunity to form the therapeutic relationship. Towards the 6th session we will have an opportunity to review the counselling to see if you would like to continue beyond this point or whether you feel that you have gained what the goals you set out to achieve. There is no set estimation of the duration of the counselling process, and I have worked with clients for short term work, meaning up to 6 sessions, to longer term, meaning open ended.
My training and the way in which I work as a counsellor is Integrative, this means that I have an understanding of different models of counselling and will work with you to tailor the approaches which would benefit you the most. This may be solution focused or more explorative, focusing on issues that are presently in your life situation or issues from your past. I am able to use creativity e.g. drawing and painting as part of the process.
I endeavour to hold a warm, supportive, compassionate and empathetic space for you, where you can speak confidentially, and feel safe, respected and heard without judgment.
My Bristol based counselling practice is situated in Sycamore House, Kingswood and my Stroud based counselling practice is situated on Bisley Road, Stroud.
Counselling for couples
For counselling sessions with couples the modality I use is Imago therapy. https://gettingtheloveyouwant.co.uk/
One of the most important relationships we will ever have, will be the person whom we choose to commit to; the person whom we choose to build a life with, to create a family and future together.
Relationships go through different phases and stages throughout its evolution; from the joys of meeting and falling in love, to the settling in and creating a life together, to the challenges and turbulences and darker questions of, can there be a future together. We can feel whole and deeply connected as well as alone and disconnected within the relationship. A rollercoaster of emotions one might say of joys and dispair.
I came across the Imago way of working with couples several years ago. By witnessing dear friends of mine seeking relationship support for their marriage at a time when they were considering that their relationship was coming to an end and that separation was inevitable. What I witnessed, through their process with their therapist, was remarkable, it was not an ending of their relationship, but a deepening and reconnecting of their relationship, they were able to reconnect with the person that had fallen in love with all those years ago, and they were able to nurture the newness that came back into their relationship.
I was so inspired by this that I decided to formalise my learning and understanding of the Imago process by undertaking the training to enhance the therapeutic work that I was already doing with individuals and couples. To be able to assist couples and individuals to reconnect and live a deeper and richer togetherness.
I have also witnessed, when relationships do come to an end, that it is possible to bring an ending and closure to the relationship that is respectful and acknowledging of what was there before, but that is now past. Frequently, when a relationship does come to an end, there are children involved and finding a way to have good clear communications can make a big difference to the feeling of the family relationships going forward.
Throughout the pandemic I have been able to offer counselling sessions online and have found this to be a very effective way of working with couples and individuals. My aim is to continue to offer sessions online as well as in person.
Please get in touch to find out more and/or book an initial session.
An initial session is where you will be able to meet with me, let me know what it is you would like to bring to counselling and to get a feel for the way I work, and if this would be a supportive way forward for you and your relationship.
An initial session for couples is an hour. In the initial session there will be an opportunity for you both to let me know what it is that has brought you to the point on seeking couples counselling and what it is you would like to gain from sessions. You will both have the opportunity to speak with me and I will explain how the Imago process works and offer a brief introduction into how an Imago Dialogue would work.
Sessions after our initial session are between 1hr 30mins and would be weekly or fortnightly. (We will discuss this in the initial session).
