Psychotherapeutic Counsellor &
Training Facilitator
FAQS
The world of talking therapy can be confusing, so I thought it would be useful to have a FAQs page with the questions I most often receive from prospective clients. These answers are subjective and rooted in my experience and opinions, other practitioners may have different responses. The list of questions are:
HOW LONG WILL I NEED THERAPY FOR?
This may sound like a stereotypically non-specific therapist’s answer but it really depends. It may be the case that you have a particular set of issues that you want to work through or it may be a more nebulous sense of wanting space or support; either way, the number of sessions until you feel satisfied that you’ve got what you wanted from therapy is hard to predict from the outset.
It’s for this reason that I periodically include informal reviews. These create an opportunity to consider where you are in the therapeutic process, how the therapy is working for you, and whether there’s anything you want to change about our way of working. This invites in your experience of the process, which is ultimately the best guide for judging when to continue and when to end.
CAN I END THERAPY AT ANY TIME?
Yes, it’s absolutely your decision to be in therapy and it's important not to lose sight of that agency. There may be financial or logistical reasons to end, or it may be that you’re no longer getting what you need from the sessions or feel a sense of completion.
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I ask, as per my contract, that clients provide notice and agree to at least one ending session in order to process the ending (oftentimes clients feel they need more than one ending session). Endings are rich opportunities for reflection and during the ending session I might encourage considering the reasons for ending and feelings around it.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COUNSELLOR AND A PSYCHOTHERAPIST?
This is a tricky question as there isn’t much uniformity in the use of professional titles in the world of talking therapy. In theory, the title refers to the practitioner’s training and way of practising; in reality, practitioners may use the same titles to mean different things.
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The traditional distinction is that a counsellor works with people on a more short-term basis to help with particular issues, whereas a psychotherapist works with people for a longer period of time, at greater depth, on a broader range of issues. Psychotherapists may have received additional training (e.g., in the relational dynamics of long-term work) to equip them to work in this way. The term "therapist" is used as a more general, catch-all term for a practitioner providing talking therapy.
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In my experience, there are many counsellors equally able to work open-endedly, with an equally broad range of issues, and at great depth. Your relationship with the practitioner and their unique way of working will likely be more important to your overall experience of therapy than whether they are a counsellor or a psychotherapist. You can always check with your prospective therapist how they work and whether they are able to address what you may want to bring to therapy.
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​My training was a Master’s degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy. I am trained to provide counselling and psychotherapy, work open-endedly, and work with a broad range of issues. The official professional title from my training is psychotherapeutic counsellor but I generally prefer the title "therapist".
HOW DOES TALKING THERAPY HELP?
Each therapist may have a slightly different answer to this, informed by their training and unique way of working. My answer to this question is that talking therapy offers a unique space where the client feels safe enough to grow their awareness and relate to themselves, their experience their past, their relationships, and their environment in new ways. It is the nature of the relationship with the therapist that allows somebody to process past experiences and confront current challenges in a different way.
For example, somebody might be struggling with intimate relationships; talking therapy can allow them to identify and explore the roots and manifestations of what they're experiencing, this awareness paves the way to experiment with a new way of being that better serves them and their needs. This is just one example of a process that can happen in relation to anything somebody is experiencing. Over time, talking therapy can build the skills of self-awareness, self-acceptance and relational openness that together allow somebody to live in a way that feels meaningful and connected.
As each person is completely unique, the content, pace, and nature of the therapeutic process differs from person to person. When working with a client, I look to draw on a range of theories and models to find a way of working that suits them, their experience, and their wants and needs. This is an evolving and collaborative process with a lot of open dialogue and feedback.
HOW DO I FIND THE RIGHT THERAPIST FOR ME?
Each therapist will offer something different, so it is less about finding a singular 'right' therapist and more considering what you're looking to get from the process and what any given therapist might be able to offer. Things to potentially consider could be the modality (type) of therapy and the therapist's stated expertise. I would also encourage listening to your 'gut response', both in response to their profiles and during an initial call; though not fool-proof, this is useful evidence to draw on when making a decision.
Research indicates that the quality of the relationship you have with your therapist is the greatest predictor of your experience of therapy. It’s therefore important that, regardless of their training or modality, you get the sense that you will be able to form a trusting relationship with them.
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Most therapists offer an initial call and are happy to answer questions from prospective clients. If you have any specific questions around compatibility then I would encourage asking them directly.