FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Your Questions Answered
What is the process for getting started?
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I can be contacted through this website or through my Facebook page.
I will have an initial consultation with parents or in some cases with young people themselves to establish what the issues are and whether I can help.
Sessions are then offered on the same day/time each week. This provides consistency and continuity for the child .
I am also happy to provide in person consultations with parents who are concerned about their child's emotional wellbeing or mental health. I can offer advice and support to help parents and carers feel more confident about supporting their children with the issues they are dealing with. This can be particularly useful when a child or young person is unsure about counselling or is reluctant to attend.
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What are your fees?
Initial telephone consultation-FREE
Counselling sessions-£50 for 45-60 minutes.
In person consultation with parent(s)-£50 for an hour.
How many sessions will be needed?
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It is difficult to be specific about this. Initially, I would suggest we look at six sessions, with a review in week four to see how the young person feels and to establish whether six sessions will be sufficient. Obviously, it takes time to build a therapeutic relationship with a young person and it is really once this trust has been established that the work begins.
Cancelling appointments
I ask that if an appointment needs to be cancelled you let me know at least 24 hours in advance, otherwise I may need to charge for the session. If I am ill or need to rearrange a session, I will give you as much notice as possible.
I recognise that sometimes family life can be unpredictable and aim to be understanding, but I also have to pay to rent the therapy room so I ask that you do not cancel sessions unless this is unavoidable. This will also help to provide continuity for your child or young person with the work being done in therapy.
If you or your young person decide that they no longer wish to participate in counselling I would ask for at least one session's notice so that I can complete a safe end to counselling for the client and where necessary signpost them to other support.
Can the counsellor be contacted between sessions?
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If you need to contact me between sessions you can contact me via email or my mobile to cancel or rearrange a session.
If you need urgent help for your young person the Mental Health Crisis contact number is: 0800-145-6485. You can also take your child to a local A & E department if you feel that they are experiencing more acute mental health difficulties.
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Where can I wait for my child/young person.
There is a waiting area for parents with tea and coffee making facilities and a comfortable seating area.
Will I get feedback about my child or young person's counselling sessions?
I am always happy to keep parents and carers informed about the progress of their young person's counselling. th primary school age children, parents will normally come in to the session towards the end to talk about what we are working on and how they can support this outside the counselling room.
With older children and adolescents I will only share information from sessions which they have given consent to.
Do I need to remain in the building whilst my child is in counselling?
I think that for lots of children of primary school age knowing that their parent is nearby offers reassurance. It helps them to feel safe and secure in the counselling and frees up their thinking to focus on what is being explored in the session. For teenagers and young adults I would leave this for you to decide through discussion with your young person.