The first session gives us time to begin getting to know one another and understand what has brought you to counselling. Building the relationship between us is at the core of the work, so there is no pressure to arrive with everything neatly explained or to tell me everything straight away.

We’ll talk through confidentiality, how we might work together, and anything that would help sessions feel more comfortable or accessible for you. We can also begin to explore what you might like to get from counselling, including any goals, changes or areas you would like to focus on.

We’ll do this collaboratively and at your pace. If you already know what you would like to work towards, that can give us a helpful starting point. If you don’t, that is completely fine too, we’ll work together to make sense of that as the work develops.

Counselling and psychotherapy sessions are usually 50 minutes long. However, in keeping with a pluralistic way of working, the structure of the session is something we can shape together rather than following a fixed formula.

We can talk about what feels most helpful for you and whether you prefer more structure, more space to reflect, or a different balance as the work develops.

The same applies to session length. If you feel that 50 minutes is too long, or that a shorter session may feel more manageable or accessible, we can discuss this together and, where possible, arrange a length that better suits your needs.

The aim is for the way we work, including the pace, structure and length of sessions, to support you rather than expecting you to fit around a set model of therapy.

Not at all. You might arrive with something very specific in mind, or you may simply know that something doesn’t feel quite right. We can begin wherever you are and work together to understand what feels most important.

That’s okay. Counselling does not have to rely entirely on finding the “right” words. Sometimes experiences can be difficult to explain verbally, or we may understand something intellectually without yet having a clear sense of how it feels.

Where it is helpful, we might use writing, imagery, visual mapping, timelines, photographs, objects or other creative exercises. These can help make thoughts and experiences more visible, give shape to things that feel difficult to express, and allow us to explore them from a different perspective.

Different people process information in different ways, so these approaches can also be particularly helpful for clients who find visual, creative or practical ways of working easier than relying on conversation alone. They are never something you have to do, we would use them collaboratively and only if they add therapeutic value.

A pluralistic approach starts from the idea that there is no single way of doing therapy that will be right for everyone. At the centre is collaboration where we’ll talk openly about what you want from counselling, what matters to you, and what feels helpful as the work develops.

We may also complete the Cooper–Norcross Inventory of Preferences (C-NIP) together. This is a short questionnaire that can help us think about things such as whether you prefer therapy to be more structured or more open, whether you would like us to focus on specific goals or allow things to unfold more naturally, and whether you prefer me to be more gentle and supportive or more challenging when appropriate.

There are no right or wrong answers. The purpose is simply to help us understand how you prefer to work, so we can shape the therapy around you. Those preferences may also change over time, and our way of working can change with them.

If you have experienced therapy before, this may feel a little different because there is often more conversation about how we are working, not just what we are talking about.

You are not expected to know which therapeutic approach you need. Part of my role is to bring my knowledge and experience, while you bring your knowledge of yourself and your life. We use both to work out what may be most helpful for you.

As our work develops, I can draw on ideas, theories and resources from different therapeutic approaches where they may be useful. That might mean bringing in a particular way of understanding what you are experiencing, a practical exercise, a creative resource, or a different way of exploring something when talking alone does not feel enough. The aim is not to fit you into one model of therapy, but to use what is most helpful for you as your needs evolve.

Yes. Counselling should feel accessible and workable for you, and I’m happy to adapt the way we work to meet your individual needs wherever possible.

This might include thinking together about communication preferences, sensory needs, physical accessibility, neurodivergence, disability, learning differences, pacing, session structure, or anything else that may help you feel more comfortable and able to engage in the process.

There is no one-size-fits-all way to do counselling, so we can talk openly about what works well for you, what doesn’t, and make adjustments together along the way.

Counselling is collaborative rather than about me giving you instructions or making decisions for you. We can explore different perspectives, possibilities and ways of understanding what is happening, while keeping you at the centre of the work.

An important part of that is supporting your autonomy by making sure your experiences, values and choices remain central. I can offer reflection, knowledge, different perspectives and therapeutic resources where they may be helpful, but the decisions about what feels right for you remain yours.

The aim is for us to work alongside one another in a way that helps you develop your own understanding, recognise what you need, and feel more confident making choices that are meaningful to you. Over time, the intention is that you become increasingly able to use the insight, tools and strategies we have explored together independently, so that you feel more confident navigating future challenges without needing to rely on ongoing therapy.