What to Expect

The Beginnings for all.........

All clients will be given a information pack containing all the information that is needed before the start of therapy. They will find it contains Boundaries, Confidentiality and limitations, Treatment Plans and other necessary documents. All packs will be clearly explained at the start of therapy.

Counselling starts with a thorough exploration of your concerns. Examining your expectations of counselling, your wants and needs and trying to find a realistic balance.

When thinking about engaging in therapy it is useful to think about what you wish to achieve? What concerns you wish to explore? How many different issues do you wish to bring? This will help you to get an idea of the treatment option that you wish to engage in and the time you wish to spend.

It is very difficult to give time frames in therapy as everybody and every issue is unique. However, good practice generally suggests 12 weeks with a review at 6 weeks. Some issues can take considerably longer and others, such as solution focused therapy, may only take six weeks.

Any questions or queries that haven't been answered here will be answered in the initial session or please feel free to contact for a discussion.

I ntegrative Counselling.

Integrative counselling uses a range of techniques such as Gestalt and Transactional Analysis and Person-centered therapy to deliver a Humanistic therapy. The fundamental approach in this technique is a belief that we all strive towards goals and at some point they get blocked or a significant event happens and this causes us to stop moving towards self-actualisation. Humanistic therapies believe that everybody has the resources to heal themselves.

What to expect.

Using a person-centered approach, means we will work very much at your pace and with what you bring into the session. It is a much more organic approach and is suited to people who are unsure of what to explore in therapy, who perhaps wish to have a gentler introduction and pace to their counselling. Emphasis is placed on facilitating the best possible environment for therapeutic change to happen and that the client knows best.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is probably the counselling technique you have already heard about. It is based around exploring how your thoughts or cognitions impact on your feelings and behaviour. It is based on the premise that if you learn to change unhealthy ways of thinking then you can change the way you feel and act.

What to expect.

When using C.B.T as your mode of therapy you can expect to have a very structured session. C.B.T uses homework and activities outside the therapy session, clients can expect to spend time outside of the session working on assignments designed to challenge faulty belief systems.. It is very direct and focused. It is especially useful for people who like to feel like they are ‘doing something’ or wish to learn approaches and techniques to deal their concerns. Clients and counsellors work collaboratively to effectively deal with issues.

Supervision.

Clinical supervision using the 7 eyed model.

What to expect.

A safe space to explore your client work; offering the normative, formative and restorative components of supervision. We will work collaboratively to identify areas of concern in order to support and allow your client relationships to flourish and for you to be able to facilitate the right environment for your clients to reach their goals or manage their presenting concerns.

I adhere to the B.A.C.P ethical guidelines on supervision and as such am unable to offer supervision to student counsellors until January 2021.

Open Mind Counselling