How does online counselling work?
There are plenty of websites and videos that you can look up that will explain all the different kinds of therapy and therapeutic alliances. Do keep in mind that therapy is personalized to each person, so your therapy will be unique.
I will be happy to answer any further questions or concerns during the 20-minute initial session.
Will the things I talk about in therapy be confidential?
Confidentiality is a cornerstone of the counselling profession; this includes the fact you are attending counselling, and anything you speak about with me in sessions. If we were to run into each other outside of the therapeutic setting, I will not acknowledge you unless you do so first. The only exception to this rule is if I have serious concerns about your safety or the safety of another person.
It is also an ethical and professional requirement for therapists in the UK have a clinical supervisor. This qualified person supports me with professional development and with maintaining good practice. Work is discussed without revealing the identities of clients, and takes place in a confidential setting.
Do you only work with LGBTQ+ people?
I work with clients of any and all orientations and gender.
Why speak to a therapist when I could just talk to family/friends?
Loved ones can be an invaluable source of support and help during difficult times; however, sometimes the emotional bonds we have with them can make it more difficult to get what we need. Often people close to us have a vested interest in the choices we make. We can also fear burdening, shocking or upsetting those close to us. A therapist is someone entirely outside the situation.
What kinds of issues do you have experience working with?
I have worked with clients as they explored varied aspects of themselves such as depression, anxiety, childhood abuse, trauma, questions of identity, sexuality, gender, family conflicts, relationship difficulties, parenting, loneliness, low self-esteem, bereavement, body image, chronic illness and disability, work stress, career decisions, discrimination and bullying.
There is a particular thing I really want to talk about, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to ‘open the box’.
There is no set time frame for our work. The courage it takes to open up about vulnerable and personal subjects can take trust, which takes time to build. You are welcome to use your sessions as best suits your needs. Working on less intense topics like daily functioning is a perfectly legitimate way to spend a session even if you originally sought out therapy to address something ‘bigger’.
I have a particular mental health diagnosis – how would you work with that?
As a therapist, I am only interested in your specific experience. It’s for you to decide if your diagnosis is meaningful to you, or if the process around being diagnosed impacted you. As with any other subject, you are welcome to bring this to therapy if you’d like.