Where are you located?

I offer counselling in two venues. One is in Mansfield, a few minutes’ walk away from the town centre. There is free parking available at a nearby supermarket. Please refer to the contact  page for details.  The other is in a peaceful, confidential setting at my own home.

How much does it cost?

My standard fee is £50 per hour. Concessions are sometimes available and can be discussed at our first meeting.

When do you offer appointments?

I offer daytime appointments Monday to Friday and evening appointments on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

What happens in a counselling session?

At our initial meeting, we talk about why you have come to counselling and what you would like to achieve from it. From this we will agree a contract. Subsequent sessions will be how you want to explore your thoughts, experiences and feelings.

How many sessions will I need?

This depends on your individual circumstances and we will discuss this in the initial session. We can agree to work in a brief, focal way over a number of sessions or leave it open for longer term work. We will review the work together on a regular basis.

What happens if I need to cancel a session?

You can cancel a session without incurring a fee by providing 48 hours’ notice. If you cancel within 24 hours you are liable to pay half the full fee. However, I do appreciate some circumstances are unavoidable and these will be taken into consideration.

How long will it take to get an appointment?

I can usually offer an initial appointment straight away.

Is it confidential?

Confidentiality will be discussed with you at the initial session. No information will be shared about you without your consent. The only time information would be shared is if you were considered to be at imminent risk of harm, either from yourself or others, or others at risk of harm from you. If such a situation occurred, it would be fully discussed with you.

How can talking about my problems help?

Studies have demonstrated that talking about our problems to a trained professional can help. People are helped to express thoughts and feelings they may not have had the opportunity to do before. It enables people to make sense of and process their particular difficulties,  develop self-awareness and break out of negative cycles which have added to their difficulties. Only you can decide whether you wish to try counselling. It can provide a you with opportunites for change, help you develop better ways of coping and increase your emotional well-being.

How will therapy make me feel?

Therapy is a very personal process. Sometimes it is necessary to talk about painful feelings or difficult decisions, so you may go through a period of feeling worse than when you started. However, therapy should enable you to feel better in the long-run.