Frequently Asked Questions

The BACP stands for The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. The BACP is one of the largest professional membership organisations for counsellors and therapists in the UK, providing an ethical framework for good practice for counsellors and therapists, and information and guidance for people who access therapy. I abide by their Ethical Framework for Good Practice, which can be found here: http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical_framework

I’m based in north Cardiff but in also provide home visits to clients in southeast Wales. I also work remotely by telephone or online/video.

The initial meeting is a chance for us to meet and get to know each other a little, to see if you feel comfortable about working with me. The meeting lasts about 30 minutes, in which time you can ask me any questions you like about the way I work or about my experience and qualifications. It is also a chance for me to get to know you a little, and if you like you can tell me about what has brought you to counselling – I would not expect you to go into much detail at this point, bearing in mind the short time for our meeting – you are free to tell me as much or as little as you like. At the end of the session, we will take some time to reflect on how we feel about working together, and if you would like to, we can arrange an appointment for the following week.

Counselling is a process, or a journey, which looks different for everyone. I cannot say how long it will take for you to feel better, and because of the nature of counselling, individuals can sometimes feel worse before they feel better as counselling can involve exploring feelings that are painful and may have been buried for some time. Again, this is different for everyone, and your focus in the sessions may be very different to this example. I will ensure that we have regular reviews throughout our time together, to give us chance to reflect on how you are finding counselling.

Sessions will last for 60 minutes, which is the standard time for a counselling session. I’m able to tailor the length of sessions to your needs, so if you do require extra time, we can add this on for an extra £20 per half hour.

All session costs are highlighted on the Fees page.

I only work with adults aged 18 and up.

I offer both short-term and long-term work. I do not offer a fixed number of sessions (unless asked) because I prefer to tailor the number of sessions to each individual based on their needs. Sessions are normally once a week/fortnight, but this arrangement can be quite flexible based on your circumstances.

Broadly speaking, everything you say in counselling is confidential and this is something we discuss more fully during the first session. I keep minimal records following sessions which are made anonymous and kept securely. If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact me.