FAQs
I am a fully qualified and experienced psychotherapeutic counsellor based in Milton Keynes. I can support clients through a wide range of issues. I trained in the Person Centred approach, but would now describe my practice as Integrative. I am a registered member of the British Association Of Psychotherapists and Counsellors and subscribe to their ethical model. If you wish to know more please feel free to get in touch with any questions.
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FAQs
You might well feel a little nervous before your first session. You might be worried your counsellor will judge you. Bear in mind the counsellor will have seen and listened to many clients with many different issues. There is little you can say which will shock them. If you do feel nervous tell the counsellor and they can reassure you. In the first session the counsellor will contract with you and explain how everything will work. There will also be some paper work, some questionnaires and so on. The counsellor will also want to hear your history and your situation in this first session. Don’t worry if everything comes out in a jumble. The counsellor is used to that. The counsellor may ask questions to clarify.
A counsellor is professionally trained to listen without judgement to the client’s concerns and worries. A counsellor won’t offer advice, but will help you explore what lies behind your current feelings. They will help you become more aware of your own inner resources and strength. A counsellor will support you as you begin to use these resources to see things differently and to help you cope with difficult feelings and situations.
A lot of feelings come up in a counselling session – and not just in the first counselling session.
You might run the entire gamut from sadness to nervousness to anger during your first session. This is quite understandable. It’s ok to cry, to feel resistance, or to experience whatever emotion comes up for you at the time. Feel free to let the counsellor know how you are feeling at any given time.
The sessions are generally weekly. The number of sessions depend on the type of therapy and your personal requirements. It can take a few sessions before you notice changes and improvements in your life.
I always say first of all “You are not broken” Counsellors can’t wave a magic wand and make everything go away, but a counsellor can help you understand what lies behind your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It is a talking therapy that allows you to talk about what distresses you in a safe and comfortable environment. Counselling can help bring closure to events that trouble you. It can help you develop healthier and more appropriate ways of managing life’s difficulties.
There are different models of counselling such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic, Gestalt, Person Centred and many more. I have been trained in the Person Centred approach, but now use an Integrative approach, drawing on different aspects of different therapy models.
