What is counselling or psychotherapy for?
My approach to counselling and psychotherapy is to work with whatever you want to bring to each session and to try to ensure we look at all the different aspects of your life. So that may include thinking about the past or hopes for the future and it may also be important to think about what's happening in your relationships, both in general and with me. I often work with dreams and images, but only if it feels right for you.
I see therapy not as a cure for all ills, rather as a place to come to terms with who you are and in doing so find ways to make the deeper shifts that can bring long-term changes to your life.
At every stage of life we face different challenges: leaving home, building our careers, becoming a parent, relationship problems, difficulties at work, mid-life, retirement and old age and at any time we may have to deal with illness and bereavement - counselling and psychotherapy can help gain a deeper understanding of the situation we're in and find ways to manage our feelings and look at what we'd really like for the future.
What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
I've trained as both a counsellor and psychotherapist, which basically means I have done a counselling training and then done a further three years of psychotherapy training. Sometimes the two phrases can be used interchangeably, and the therapy world in general has lots of definitions. Probably the simplest distinction to make is that counselling can be more focused on working with immediate problems and psychotherapy tends to be longer-term and more explorative. However, research has shown that it's having a good working relationship with your therapist that really makes a difference, not what type of therapy it is.
What happens if I want to come for therapy?
We can meet for one initial session to see if it would be right for us to work together. From there we can either decide on a limited number of sessions or an open-ended arrangement. If it doesn't seem as though it would be right for us to work together, I will try to help you find another therapist or agency who may be more appropriate.
Where can I have sessions?
I work from my home in Wenhaston on Thursdays, which is just outside Halesworth. On Mondays I work from Woodbridge Complementary Health Centre, which is in Martlesham. I have limited availability in London but occasionally have spaces on Wednesdays at Spiral in Islington. I also offer sessions on Skype or the phone if you aren't able to attend sessions in any of these places.
What does it cost?
My fee is £60 for each one-hour session. You can choose to pay each session or I can invoice you at the end of the month. My fee for supervision is £70 for a one-hour session.
