Frequently Asked Questions

What is counselling?

Counselling is a confidential service provided by a skilled and qualified practitioner. A counsellor may use a number of skills to help develop understanding; creating insights, awareness and answers to the issues that you bring. These interventions can include any number of therapeutic skills in addition to ‘talking through’ your feelings.

How can counselling help me?

There may be times when you feel unable to cope with the stresses and strains of life. These times may occur due to a change in the way you live your life, such as a bereavement, redundancy or separation; or you may wish you could make changes but are unsure where to start. In all these circumstances counselling can help you reach a place where you feel more content. A counsellor can work with you to help you understand or unravel your feelings and help you explore why you are seeking help. Rather than talking to a family member or friend, talking to a counsellor ensures that you have an independent and impartial listener who can provide a safe and confidential environment. This means you can begin to look at how you would like your life to be different. Counselling is a joint venture and your commitment to the process is important.

What should I look for in a counsellor?

Any counselling help you seek should be provided by a qualified and experienced counsellor who is a member of a governing body such as the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy), UKCP (United Kingdom Counsellors and Psychotherapists), UKRCP (United Kingdom Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists) or the ACC (Association of Christian Counsellors). Seeking help from a member of one of these governing bodies helps ensure that you are getting an experienced, qualified and competent counsellor who adheres to registered guidelines for good practice.

How many sessions will I need?

This will largely depend on you. For face-to-face therapy, we usually advise a minimum course of 8 weekly sessions although there are no maximum limits. The timescale for telephone and online methods is often shorter, but we will review your progress at regular intervals as part of the counselling process.

Is there a waiting list?

At Direct Counselling, we are usually able to offer counselling services within a few days of receiving an initial enquiry. In the unlikely event that we are not able to offer counselling immediately, we will assist you in finding a qualified counsellor in your residential area.

How often are counselling sessions?

Sessions are usually held on a weekly basis, though this is flexible depending on individual client needs.

Is your service confidential?

All our counselling services are strictly confidential. There are, however, exceptional circumstances in which counsellors are required to breach client confidentiality under British Law. These include the acquisition of any information regarding acts of terrorism and money laundering, and information regarding intent by the client to cause themselves or other party harm. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy.

How will I know it's time to end my counselling?

You are free to end counselling at any point you wish. Wherever possible we try and make sure that our work together ends appropriately. This means taking time to review the point you’ve reached, look at any outstanding needs or issues, discuss further options and check that we have no ‘unfinished business’.

What if I miss a session?

You must give at least 24 hours advance notice if you need to cancel a session. Sessions not cancelled in advance will be charged.

 

If you need information not listed here, please send us your question.

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