If you haven't experienced counselling before, you may have some questions.

• What exactly is Counselling?
• How does it work?
• Will I be given advice?
• Is it for me?
• Is it confidential?
• Is it expensive?

Counselling can offer you a safe and confidential space to speak freely and explore your experiences, so that you can make sense of your feelings.

Counsellors are extensively trained to really "listen" to you, and to enable you to freely express your fears and concerns.

A counsellor will not make a judgment on you, but will be there to provide a safe space for you to explore how you are feeling, and to consider how you think and behave in your world.

Counsellors do not give you advice but will encourage you to think more clearly about your various life options so that you can make informed choices for your self.

This enables you to grow stronger and gain self esteem.

In childhood we learn "ways of being" in order to please those around us; our parents, our teachers, and people who are significant in our lives.

Sometimes we continue to act in this way in our adult life, and although we are aware on one level that they are not really helping we are unsure about how to do things differently. The personal development aspect of counselling is a way for you to develop your self awareness. This generally happens quite naturally within our sessions.

With gentle encouragement a counsellor can help you to identify the underlying causes of your concerns and to consider different ways of thinking and acting to help you to a more fruitful and happier life.

I offer three types of counselling:

In Person Counselling

We meet, face to face, generally once a week. Each session lasts 50 minutes. I am flexible on the number of sessions I offer. We can negotiate this from the start, or review our work together as we go along.

Our first session lasts for 30 minutes and is free from my charge in order to give us both the opportunity to decide whether we will work well together.

We can decide on suitable times for sessions, and make sure that I am the right counsellor for you. Your counselling is confidential.

Telephone Counselling

Telephone counselling is an excellent way to provide a counselling service to people who may benefit from not having to visit their counsellors premises.

• Mobility problems and find it difficult to travel.
• Anxiety causes you difficulty in leaving home
• You work long or awkward hours
• You live in a remote area
• You care for someone and it isn't possible to leave them unattended.
• You have small children and are unable to leave them unattended.

Initially you contact me through the Contact link on the left menu or telephone me if you prefer. You describe briefly what is concerning you and tell me a little about yourself.

We can then discuss and agree on:

• An approximate number of sessions, I am fairly flexible on this.
• The frequency of our telephone sessions,generally 1 per week.
• The time that we agree to talk on the telephone.
• Confidentiality.
• Payment method.

Once we have agreed to work together you would call me at the appointed time for the counselling session.

If you are interested in Telephone Counselling, please give me a call on

01934 642976

Or click on the Contact Link and fill out the form. I will be in contact with you as soon as possible to arrange your first FREE session.

Online Counselling

Alternatively I offer online counselling via Skype.

Find out more about Online Counselling

If you feel you would like some counselling in Weston-super-Mare, or by telephone or online, please contact me on 01934 642976 or via the form provided on the 'Contact' page. I will respond to you as soon as possible to arrange your first free session.