What you need to know

  • You can book a free half-hour telephone session to see if counselling is for you and if I am the right counsellor for you.

 

  • Counselling can be shorter or longer term depending on your needs.  I usually work with clients on a 12-week basis and we review our work on week 6 to see if they need more sessions.  However, you can start with just a few sessions.  All I ask is for you to give me one week's notice if you would like to end our counselling sessions. 

 

  • I am based in West Bridgford, Nottingham.  You can book to see me face-to-face (Tuesday and Wednesday mornings) at my venue in West Bridgford, online through video conferencing (Zoom) at other times, or through telephone conversations.  We can also organise 'walk and talk' sessions in a nearby park on an agreed day and time, if that is what you prefer.

 

  • All counselling sessions are 50 minutes long, but you can choose to leave early if you wish.

 

  • I charge £60 per session and at least a 24-hour cancellation notice is required to avoid paying the full fee.  However, if you prefer to book lots of 3 or 6 sessions, there will be reduced per-session fees.  £55 per session if you book for 3 sessions in advance for a total of £165.  £50 per session if you book for 6 sessions in advance for a total of £300.

How I work with children and young people

Children and young people can often find it hard when starting counselling.  Not knowing either where they stand or the counsellor can be a factor that will hold them back.  It is, therefore, crucial to enable them to express themselves in familiar ways.  This can be done through various activities including:

 

  • Using creative arts and crafts projects to explore their feelings and emotions through, for example, doodling, making sensory bottles, art collages, creating wooden worry dolls, drawing using colouring pencils or different types of paints on stones, canvas, paper, and pillowcases, or constructing objects using lego pieces or toy playsets.

 

  • Utilising various age-appropriate games, cards, and quizzes to engage with what might be weighing on their minds, thoughts, and emotions.

 

  • Exploring nature or doing some outdoor activities can allow CYPs the opportunity to engage with their senses.  This can bring greater self-awareness of how they can regulate their emotions better.  Some of these explorations can also be done indoors.  One of the activities which has proven to be successful is tasting a variety of chocolate bars where the CYP must only rely on their senses of touch to feel the texture of each chocolate bar, smell, and taste to identify the ingredients within them.

Counselling is not an emergency service.  If you are feeling actively suicidal, it is important to get help immediately by calling 999 or NHS 111.  Other non-emergency support you can call is the Samaritans at 116 123 or text SHOUT to 85258 for text-based support.  All services are available 24/7.