Counselling and Psychotherapy /

Counselling and Psychotherapy FAQs

What is Counselling and Psychotherapy?

Counselling and psychotherapy are similar in many ways. Both are about talking with someone, trained in the art of listening, in order to gain relief, support or to try and change an aspect in one’s life.

Counselling helps you manage crises in life such as bereavement, relationship difficulties or a problem at work in a relatively short period of time. The counsellor will keep the focus on this particular problem to help you resolve it.

Psychotherapy seeks to resolve more deep rooted problems, ones that seem embedded in our personality. Often there are underlying issues to explore such as early child-parent relationships, which can affect what is happening now. This takes a longer period of time and helps bring about changes in feelings, attitudes and behaviour.

Why might I seek Counselling or Psychotherapy?

How can it help me?

Sharing a problem with a neutral person can be easier than with a relative or friend, and can give a different way of looking at things.

Asking for help can be an important step in accepting you cannot deal with the problem alone, and you will begin to regain control with our help. Understanding how the problem began, or what keeps it going, can lead to overcoming it. We provide space to think, explore underlying issues, even if they cannot be changed, therapy can make the problem more manageable.

I’m not sure what I want to come for. Is it still OK to come?

It is perfectly OK for you to come and explore things. We often have clients who either are unsure why they have come or have so many reasons they cannot put it down to one specifically. This is what the initial assessment appointment is for.

What happens at an assessment?

The initial assessment gives a chance to talk about what is troubling you, how long you have had a problem and what you have tried to do to overcome it. It involves looking at how you have responded to events in your past. The meeting will last between one and one and half hours and the therapist will try and clarify the main issues and how to approach them.

If you both agree counselling or psychotherapy is appropriate, you will be offered an appointment at a date and time to suit you. These sessions will last approximately 50 minutes.

How long does it last?

During your initial assessment your counsellor or therapist will discuss and agree with you how many sessions he/she feels you will need. Many people will receive between 6 and 12 weekly sessions of 50 minutes. However some people will need less, and others many more. We will look after you for as long as you need us.

When is group therapy useful?

In group therapy, several people with similar sorts of problems meet regularly with a therapist. The experience of discovering you are not alone, and of being able to help other people, is powerfully encouraging and is often the first step towards getting better.

Do you have long waiting lists?

Actually our help starts with your first phone call when an assessment appointment is made for you. From then on you can take comfort that you are now in the hands of a professional confidential service.

Is your counselling and psychotherapy service confidential?

Yes. Professional confidentiality is carefully observed. All personal information disclosed to us will remain confidential within the organisation (except in very rare circumstances where the risk of imminent severe harm to yourself or others is present). When you come to see us we shall ask permission for contact with your GP if it is necessary. We will not have any contact with your employer or manager unless this has been agreed with you.

How are your counsellors and psychotherapists selected?

All therapy staff are experienced and either qualified and registered by the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) or the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), or in further professional training under supervision. All are professionally supervised by fully-trained clinical supervisors.