How long are the sessions?
Both Counselling and Psychotherapy sessions last for approximately 50 minutes and begin on the hour which is mutually agreed between the client and therapist. The sessions are held on a weekly basis every week, excluding pre arranged holidays, christmas closing schedule and sickness.
How long will I be in Counselling or Psychotherapy?
Counselling
For Counselling it is normally recommended that there should be a minimum commitment of at least 6 sessions. These sessions will be structured to allow a more cognitive working through of the presenting problems. Counselling can go on longer and be open-ended however, we would highly recommend clear goals and aims are established to contain the purpose and need for the counselling.
With Psychotherapy there are two options:
Brief Psychodynamic Intervention:
We offer a brief, shorter-term psychodynamic intervention that would take a minimum of 12 sessions, as well as the initial assessment.
Longer-term Psychotherapy:
Where the issues are a lot more complex and embeded they can therefore require a more open-ended timeframe of usually at least 6 months. This is an approximate time-frame and the actual time spent can be more, and it can also be less.
It will however, be held in a structure of regular reviews and ensuring the aim of the therapy remains aligned with the original reason and goal for therapy. This longer-term approach would allow the work to be held at a deeper level, often using many differing theories and techniques to work through and understand the challenges we face.
Would you keep what I tell you confidential?
Everything that we discuss during out time together is strictly confidential and the only person I discuss your case with is my Supervisor, which is also a confidential forum. The issue of confidentiality is a deeply important consideration for all psychotherapy and counselling professionals. Confidentiality provides a structure that is vital for giving clients the safety needed in the space to talk about anything and everything in a contained environment.
It is however, important to disclose that as with all issues around client and patient safety there are times that confidentiality might have to be broken, such as times when there is a clear risk to either yourself or to someone close to you. Concerns around safety are always discussed with you the client during the session and any decisions made about the next steps happen as a result of a collaborative process between you and your therapist.
Confidentiality will be explained in more detail during the assessment.
How long have you been a Counsellor and Psychotherapist?
I have been working as a Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Supervisor since 2009. My early years were spent working within the youth and charity sector as a counsellor. Then creating my own Private Practice in 2013. My career and expertise offers a vast background of working with Adults in the 18-25 category between 2009 and 2014 and then expanding to work in the NHS alongside Children, Young People and their Families. This blend of 1:1 long term psychotherapy and the brief solution-focused, practice based work within the NHS and charitable organisations brings a wealth of experience when seeking to understand the multiple diffciulties that inspire people to seek support through psychotherapy and counselling.
What are your qualifications?
Having obtained a foundation level in counselling at the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education (CCPE) in London in 2009, I then went on to complete a four-year Diploma in integrative Psychotherapy and Counselling at the same institution in 2014, as well as qualifying as an IAPT accredited supervisor through the University of Exeter in 2018.
This was alongside a research based MA through the University of Northampton in 2016 where my research used attachment narrative to explore the concept of ‘home’ resulting in a growing interest in the area of managing relationships and specifically people who are seeking a stronger understanding of their personal identity. The process of individaution and the formation of more authentic and ‘whole’ personality and Self are at the heart of my approach and my work.
I have vast experience of working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team, including the experience of leading and managing teams. I provide an undertaking of specialist mental health assessments and therapeutic interventions for children, young people and adults with mental health problems; including risk assessments and safety planning.
Which governing body do you belong to?
I am a UKCP Accredited Psychotherapist and abide by their rules. I also practice in accordance to the BACP Code of Ethics.
Are you supervised?
Yes, as per the BACP Code of Ethics I receive regular, monthly, Supervision designed to assist me in the work I do. As well as Supervision providing the clinical support sometimes required when working with lots of clinical material, Supervision is also in place to ensure that a psychotherapist is upholding ethical standards of safety. Client well-being and safety should be in place and at the heart of all good and robust clinical practice.
How do you work as a Counsellor/Psychotherapist?
My style of working is called Integrative, and this can involve many ways of working with clients. Most important of all is the relationship between the client and the therapist as this is a crucial component when facilitating healing and growth beyond the presenting difficulty.
Integrative working for myself means my work can be using many different techniques and theories. For a greater understanding of this please visit my about me and how I work page.
An additional note of importance is that an aspect of my training was from a Transpersonal perspective, through the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education (CCPE) so my way of working can often involve bringing in aspects and types of spirituality and creativity to the work. A Transpersonal apporach is viewing and encouraging the growth of a client’s inner Self at a very deep and spiritual level.
Exeter and Devon Psychotherapy and Counselling 