Please contact me at dehavillandecounselling@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
The one thing I reassure people of is that you don't need to be at 'rock bottom' to start therapy. It's also very normal to be feeling apprehensive about asking for support. We can discuss any worries you have in our free consultation call and I also have an article on my blog that you may find useful: How to know when you're ready to start counselling
During our consultation call, we will talk about what has led you to seek therapy and what your presenting problems are, as well as my counselling approach and how I can help you. It's a 30-minute video call and there's no pressure to talk about anything that you don't feel comfortable sharing. Ultimately, it's an opportunity for you to see if I am the right counsellor for you.
Integrative therapy is a modality that combines skills and techniques from a range of psychological theories, allowing me to tailor my approach to your needs. It's a flexible style of working, which puts you at the centre of the work that we do together.
That's a difficult one to answer because everybody is different. Some people find that they feel better after 6-12 sessions, others prefer the stability and consistency of longer term therapeutic work. Neither is better than the other, it all comes down to what works best for you. Every 6-8 weeks, we will check-in to see how you're finding the sessions and make adjustments as needed.
Yes, our sessions will remain confidential between us and I follow strict ethical guidelines to ensure your privacy and safety. In rare circumstances where your safety or the safety of someone else is seriously at risk, confidentiality may be breached in order to keep you safe.
This sometimes happens but be reassured that I always help my clients to find what they need to bring to session. Whether we start by checking in about your week, or slow down into a full body meditative scan, you'll soon be in the flow of the session.
A common misconception that is portrayed in the media is that counsellors sit with a notepad and write down everything you say. It's not true! Yes, I will write notes when your session is finished (and I adhere to GDPR guidelines) but within the session I remain fully focused on our conversation, not note taking.
Flexibility of sessions is something I offer but is also subject to availability. Most people want the consistency of weekly or fortnightly sessions but I do offer monthly check-ins for clients who have stepped down from long-term counselling. I always recommend new clients start with a minimum of 6 weeks of weekly sessions to build a strong foundation before moving to flexible arrangements.