FAQ's
How confidential is counselling?
Confidentiality is vitally important in counselling. You need to feel you can trust the counsellor with very private thoughts and feelings.
Exceptions:
There are boundaries and limits to confidentiality in certain cases.
Confidentiality may be broken if:
• You or others are, in the opinion of the therapist, seem to be in danger or at serious risk of being harmed
• The therapist is required to do so by subpoena (Court order or instructions from a coroner)
• The client infers involvement in or knowledge of an act of terrorism or of money laundering
• The client infers knowledge of or involvement in drugs trafficking
• The client infers knowledge of or involvement in behaviours that may, in the therapist’s opinion, lead to harm or neglect to children and vulnerable adults
How long does counselling last?
This is such as individual requirement. I have experience working on a short and long-term basis. This can be decided from the outset in some cases, but very often it will not be possible to predict how often we will meet. It is my job to check in on how the sessions are progressing and what your experience is of them. Sometimes this may mean we will start to plan when we stop working together.
Once we have met and we both have decided to continue to meet, we will discuss a regular meeting schedule. Usually this would be once a week but can be negotiated at the initial visit.
You are free to end the sessions at any point and this can be raised at any time.
What if I can’t make a session?
If you need to cancel a session, please notify me as much in advance as you can. If less than one working days notice is given, the missed session will need to be paid for.
If I will not be able to make a particular session then I will give you as much notice as I can and see if we can make alternative arrangements. If, for whatever reason, you cannot make a particular session, please let me know as soon as possible.
I would prefer 24hrs notice but accept that sometimes life events just get in the way.