Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
See our article on how counselling and psychotherapy differ and how to decide which is most relevant for you.
What happens in the first consultation session?
You will naturally have many questions ahead of taking your first step towards counselling. Please read our informational guide on what to expect from the very first session.
How does talking to a therapist help?
How is talking to a counsellor or psychotherapist different to talking to a friend or family member? What is it that makes it therapeutic? How does it help and is it worth my money? What benefit will I get from committing my time to the sessions? We’ll explain all here!
What can I expect from private counselling?
Considering counselling can be a daunting prospect if you’ve never accessed it before. If you’re uncertain of what to expect and this is preventing you from taking the first step, our article has some useful information to consider.
Will my therapy be confidential?
Considering talking through your difficulties in therapy but lacking trust in what might happen with your information? It may be useful to check out the following guidelines in order to put your mind at ease and get the support you need.
Will my therapist offer me advice?
If you’re considering attending counselling because you have found yourself in a state of uncertainty in life, it can be tempting to ask for advice and guidance and, in the absence of someone close to you, a therapist can seem like a good choice. However, a therapist shouldn’t directly offer advice. We explain why in this article.
Will my therapist be able to manage everything I need to talk about?
Have you found yourself worrying that the difficulties you need to bring to therapy are too much for a therapist to cope with? This article will hopefully reassure you that your therapist will be well equipped to help you, no matter how much you need to share.
How long is a course of therapy?
Let’s start by saying don’t get caught up in the logistics. If you need therapy, you need therapy, and you’ll need as many sessions as you’ll need. Everyone is different, everyone’s needs are specific to them, and there are a whole range of variables involved in trying to establish how long therapy might last. This article may offer more detail.
Does it get worse before it gets better?
The question of things ‘getting worse’ before improving in counselling is really food for thought. What do we mean by ‘get worse’? Are we talking about feeling worse? Depending on the type of therapy you enter into and the direction this goes, you could indeed find yourself feeling worse before you feel better. We explain more in this article.
How do I know if I need counselling?
We all know how to look after our physical health, even if we don’t always do it, and we know we need to seek advice if something goes wrong, but do we know how to look after our mental health? This article may help you understand if you should consider counselling.
Why should I access counselling?
People use counselling for a wide range of different reasons and you don’t need to wait until crisis point before you seek help, in fact, it’s encouraged that you seek help before it gets too difficult to manage. For a deeper understanding, see this article.