Find answers to common questions about counselling, our services, and what to expect from therapy sessions.
Counselling can be beneficial if you're experiencing persistent difficulties with relationships, mood, anxiety, life transitions, or feeling stuck. It's also valuable for personal growth and developing better coping strategies.
Signs that counselling might help include feeling overwhelmed, relationship difficulties, persistent low mood, anxiety affecting daily life, or wanting to understand yourself better.
The terms "counselling" and "therapy" are often used interchangeably and refer to the same process of professional support for mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Both involve working with a trained professional to explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in a safe, confidential environment.
Choose a counsellor who:
We offer a free initial consultation to help you decide if we're the right fit.
Your first session is about getting to know each other and understanding what brings you to counselling. We'll discuss:
There's no pressure to share more than you're comfortable with, and you can ask questions at any time.
Standard sessions are 50 minutes long, which allows time for meaningful exploration while maintaining clear boundaries. This is the industry standard and provides enough time to delve into issues without becoming overwhelming.
Most clients find weekly sessions most effective, as this provides continuity and momentum. However, we can adjust frequency based on your needs, circumstances, and the nature of your concerns.
Some clients may benefit from twice-weekly sessions initially, while others may prefer fortnightly sessions once established.
The number of sessions varies greatly depending on individual circumstances, the complexity of issues, and your personal goals. Some people find benefit in just a few sessions, while others work over many months or years.
We'll regularly review your progress and discuss how you're finding the process. You're always in control of how long you continue.
Session fees vary depending on the type of counselling and counsellor. Please check our services pages for current rates or contact us for specific pricing information.
We believe everyone should have access to support, so please speak to us if cost is a barrier - we may have options available.
We understand that cost can be a barrier to accessing support. We may have limited reduced-rate slots available for those experiencing financial hardship.
Please contact us to discuss your situation confidentially - we'll do our best to find a way to make counselling accessible for you.
You can book an appointment by:
We'll get back to you within 24 hours (Monday to Friday) to confirm your appointment.
We require at least 24 hours notice for cancellations. This allows us to offer the slot to someone else who may need it urgently.
Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice may incur the full session fee, except in exceptional circumstances such as illness or emergency.
Research shows that online counselling can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy for many concerns. The key factors for effectiveness are the quality of the therapeutic relationship and your comfort with the format.
Online therapy offers flexibility and accessibility, making it easier for many people to access regular support.
You'll need:
We use secure, encrypted platforms that don't require you to download software.
Yes, we use secure, encrypted video platforms specifically designed for healthcare. These meet strict data protection and confidentiality requirements.
We recommend using headphones and ensuring you're in a private space where you won't be overheard or interrupted.
Yes, everything you share is confidential and protected by professional ethical guidelines. We will never share information about you without your explicit consent.
The only exceptions are rare situations where there's risk of serious harm to yourself or others, or where required by law (such as child protection concerns).
Yes, we keep brief, secure notes to track your progress and ensure continuity between sessions. These notes are stored securely and are only accessible to your counsellor.
You have the right to see your notes if you wish, and they're destroyed after the required retention period.
We can provide letters confirming you're receiving counselling, but only with your written consent. We'll discuss the content with you beforehand and ensure you're comfortable with what's included.
We always aim to include only necessary information while protecting your privacy.
If you're experiencing a mental health crisis outside of session times, please contact:
We can discuss crisis planning during sessions to help you feel more prepared.
While we try to accommodate urgent requests, we cannot provide emergency mental health services. For immediate crisis support, please contact the emergency services listed above.
We may be able to offer an earlier appointment if we have availability, but please use crisis helplines for immediate support.
If you're having thoughts of suicide, please reach out for help immediately:
Remember: these feelings can be temporary and help is available. You don't have to face this alone.
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