About Counselling
What happens before your first appointment, how we work together and how counselling comes to an end.
We begin where you are.
The first part is figuring things out together.
Starting counselling can come with a lot of questions. You may wonder whether it could help, whether I am the right counsellor for you, what you are supposed to talk about in the first session or what happens once you get started.
You do not need to have those answers before you begin. My approach is straightforward and low pressure. We start by understanding what has brought you here, what you would like help with and whether working together feels like a good fit. From there, we can make a plan and begin the work.
Your first steps
You do not need to have everything figured out.
You may know exactly why you are looking for a counsellor. You may have a problem to solve, an experience to process, a difficult relationship or something in your life you would like to change. You may also have a less certain answer: I do not really know. I just know something is not right. That is enough.
You can contact me before booking if you have questions about my experience, the approaches I use, fees, benefits or whether I work with what you are experiencing. When you are ready, you can book online or reach me by phone or email.
Pay attention to the conversation.
Training and experience matter. So does the experience of sitting down and talking with someone. As we begin, notice whether you feel heard, whether I understand what you are trying to communicate and whether my approach makes sense to you. You should be able to ask questions, tell me when something does not fit and participate in decisions about our work.
I will also consider what you need and whether my training and experience are appropriate for it. These early conversations give both of us more information.
We start by understanding where you are.
Your first session is primarily a conversation. I will ask what brought you to counselling, what has been happening and what you would like to be different. We may discuss your current circumstances, important relationships, relevant experiences from your past, what you have tried and the strengths you bring with you.
You do not need to tell your entire life story in an hour. We start with what matters most and build our understanding over time. By the end of our early conversations, we should have a clearer sense of what we are working on and where we would like the work to take us.
A counselling plan that fits you.
We decide how to approach the work.
Once we understand more about what is happening, we can decide what may help. I draw from several approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), EMDR and Solution-Focused Therapy. What we use depends on you, what you are experiencing and what we are trying to accomplish.
Sometimes one approach provides much of the structure. At other times, different parts of your experience call for different kinds of work. The therapy should fit you. You should not have to fit the therapy.
Explore my therapy approach →We pay attention to what is changing.
Once counselling is underway, our sessions become more focused on the work we have identified together. We may examine a pattern of thinking or behaviour, process an experience from the past, develop a skill, work with a difficult emotion, approach a relationship differently or make practical changes in everyday life.
We also check our progress. What is getting better? What remains difficult? What works outside the counselling room? Has something new become important? Your goals can change as you do, and our work can change with them.
Ultimately, counselling needs to become useful in your life. The conversations we have, the perspectives you develop and the skills you practise should become things you can carry into your relationships, decisions and everyday experiences.
Privacy and confidentiality
Counselling involves personal conversations, and protecting your privacy is an important part of our work. At the beginning, we will discuss confidentiality, how your information is handled and the circumstances in which confidentiality has legal or professional limits.
If an Employee Assistance Program or another organization funds your counselling, I will explain what information that arrangement requires. You should understand how your information is handled before deciding what you want to share.
Between appointments
You can contact me between appointments about scheduling, changing an appointment or a brief practical question. I am often in sessions, so I may not be able to respond immediately. More substantial therapeutic conversations are best kept for appointments, when we have the privacy and time to give them proper attention.
The notice requirements and any cancellation fees are set out in your consent agreement and on the booking page. Generally, I ask for 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel.
When you no longer need counselling
Counselling is intended to help you build something you can carry forward yourself. As you make progress, we can talk about meeting less often, doing additional work or bringing counselling to an end.
Finishing does not mean you can never return. Life changes and new problems arise. Some people come back months or years later with something different they would like to work on. The relationship can be there when it is useful and leave room for you to get on with living your life when it is not needed.
Ready to begin?
You do not need to know exactly where counselling will lead before you make the first appointment. You only need somewhere to begin.