What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
Counselling helps people identify problems and crises and encourages them to take positive steps to resolve these issues. It is the best course of therapeutic treatment for anyone who already has an understanding of well-being, and who is also able to resolve problems. Counselling is a short-term process that encourages the change of behaviour.
Psychotherapy helps people with psychological problems that have built up over the course of a long period of time. It will help you understand your feelings, thoughts and actions more clearly. Psychotherapy is a longer-term process of treatment that identifies emotional issues and the background to problems and difficulties.
'Counselling and psychotherapy are services sought by clients to help them resolve emotional, psychological and relationship issues within a context of confidentiality and clear ethical boundaries using evidence-based interventions to foster long-term recovery, increased resilience and well-being. BACP sees no evidence of any difference between the functions of counselling and psychotherapy.’
How much does it cost?
Initial telephone consultation is FREE.
Counselling/Psychotherapy - £60 per session.
EMDR Therapy - £85 per session.
Do I really ‘need’ counselling?
Counselling may be the right choice if you are feeling anxious, depressed, or just feeling ‘stuck’ and that nothing seems to help. You may have tried to find a solution and to cope with your problem but it hasn’t changed things and you may be noticing that your situation is affecting your daily life, your work or your relationships and that you are finding it hard to deal with things like you used to.
The confidential nature of counselling allows you to be open and speak freely about your problems, without fear of judgement and to gain a fresh perspective. It offers different coping skills and new ways of thinking about your issues that can help you manage your situation more effectively.
What can I expect in the first session?
We will talk about your reasons for seeking counselling and discuss your expectations and goals for therapy. One of the most important factors for successful therapy is the relationship between the client and the counsellor, so it is an opportunity for you to see whether you feel comfortable with me and wish to proceed.
How many sessions will I need?
Everyone is different, some clients feel instant relief from just being able to talk openly about a specific issue and clients with longer term, deep seated issues can come for months. In my experience it is beneficial to mentally commit yourself to at least 6 sessions.