FAQs
Ending Therapy
How do I know when it’s time to end therapy?
Setting areas of focus and goals at the beginning of therapy gives you a reference point from which to observe change over time. Regular reviews of the work being done in sessions also allow us to notice any changes in how you’re thinking, feeling and behaving. Therapy usually ends when someone feels empowered to go about their life in the way they wanted to without therapeutic support.
Who decides when therapy ends?
I believe that you are best placed to know when it’s right for therapy to end for you. However, it’s often useful to use sessions to explore your reasons for wanting to continue and wanting to end sessions. When you feel it might be time to end therapy, I will support you to work through how best to approach this.
How does therapy end?
The process of ending therapy is a moment to reflect on the work that’s been done and the understanding, tools and strategies you’ve built. It is also an opportunity to learn about how we respond to endings, and to decide what we want this to look like with our therapist. I therefore ask that we have at least 2-3 sessions to work through an ending process.
About Therpay
What is therapy?
Therapy can support us to explore our feelings and behaviours, relationships, and experiences. It involves noticing and sometimes challenging the ways we think about ourselves, our past, and the situations we find ourselves in. Over time this new awareness can empower us to be ourselves and to be more resilient in our daily lives.
What’s the difference between counselling and therapy?
In the UK the terms ‘counselling’ and ‘therapy’ are often used to describe the same thing. However, therapy usually involves more in depth working for longer periods of time. I am trained to offer both ways of working.
How do I know if I need therapy?
Therapy can be helpful if you feel unlike yourself, feel stuck or dissatisfied, or feel bigger emotions than is usual for you. You might notice worry, fear, overthinking, frustration, resentment, low mood, rebelliousness, switching off or wanting to take yourself away. A therapist can help you decide whether therapy might be useful for you.
Why do people come to therapy?
People come to therapy for many different reasons. Some will come for support when they are experiencing confusing or overwhelming emotions, going through important life changes or looking to improve their relationships. Some want to prepare for difficult situations, and some want to make sense of what’s already happened.
What if I don’t know what the problem is?
It’s not unusual for someone to begin therapy feeling that something isn’t right but not knowing what that it. This can be because we’re unfamiliar with parts of ourselves and do lots of things out of habit. It’s not unusual to begin therapy with one goal and to identify a further goal. A therapist can support you to explore and identify what might be useful for you.
What is the time commitment for therapy?
Time needed to complete a piece of therapeutic work will depend on your goals and circumstances and should be discussed in an initial conversation. Sessions are usually held once a week on the same day and at the same time. This is because regular therapy is often the most effective way to make a positive change.
I offer time-limited therapy and open-ended therapy with regular reviews to make sure that we're all satisfied with how the work is going.
Making Contact
What happens when I contact you?
I will send you details of my availability, alongside some information about how I work. I will offer you possible dates and times for an initial conversation in the coming days/week. If you are interested to work with me, I will arrange a time to talk to you by phone or video call, at no cost and with no pressure to commit to further sessions.
What’s an initial conversation like?
An initial conversation is an opportunity for us to get to a feel for each other, for you to share what’s going on for you, and to discuss how we might work together. It is also a good time for you to ask any questions you may have about starting therapy. There's no charge for an initial conversation, and it's not a commitment to continue with any further work.
What happens after initial conversation?
After an initial conversation, I will send you a short summary of possible areas of focus and goals we discussed along with a counselling agreement. I will invite you to have a think about how the conversation felt, whether you have any further questions, and whether you’d like to commit to some sessions.
Is there any communication between therapy sessions?
The work we do in therapy would take place during scheduled sessions. There isn’t usually communication between these slots, apart from to discuss payments, changes to session times, cancellations etc. I will respond to all email queries within 2 working days.
What if we bump into each other outside of a session?
If we unexpectedly see each other outside of sessions, I will respect your privacy by giving you the choice of how to respond. If you greet me, I will do the same. If you’d rather not communicate, especially if you are with others, I will respond in kind.
What if I have a complaint or suggestion?
If you are unhappy or dissatisfied with the service you receive, please let me know at the earliest opportunity, and I will try to resolve any issues or concerns. If you have suggestions to how I could improve my service, please do let me know at any time.
Privacy
Will our therapy sessions be confidential?
It’s essential to be able to trust your therapist, and I will treat anything you say during our sessions as confidential. I will discuss our work with my supervisor (a requirement for all counsellors and therapists) but will not reveal any details that might identify you. I will not share information about you without your consent unless there is a legal or ethical need for me to do this.
With couples counselling, any information shared within individual sessions will not be shared in joint sessions without the consent of the individual.
What records do you keep?
I will write brief notes on our initial conversation and therapy sessions, to keep a record of the work we are doing. These notes are anonymised and stored securely, according to GDPR regulations. You are entitled to request a copy of your session notes. If notes of a couple session are requested, only information relating to the individual making the request will be shared.
Find out more about my Privacy Policy here.
What information will you hold on me?
I will ask you to provide me with your contact details, so that I can share practical information, confirm session details, and check in as needed. I ask for an emergency contact in case I can’t reach you and I have a concern for your wellbeing. I ask for your GP practice details in case it’s useful to share information on our work, which I’d seek to do with your permission.
Can I record my therapy sessions?
Due to challenges around maintaining confidentiality, I don't give permission for sessions to be recorded. However, I do encourage and support clients to create their own summaries of sessions for reference and self-reflection.
Do you use AI for therapeutic work?
I do not use AI tools for any therapy note-taking or record keeping. This is to ensure that your information remains private and secure.
Attending Sessions
Will our therapy sessions be confidential?
It’s essential to be able to trust your therapist, and I will treat anything you say during our sessions as confidential. I will discuss our work with my supervisor (a requirement for all counsellors and therapists) but will not reveal any details that might identify you. I will not share information about you without your consent unless there is a legal or ethical need for me to do this.
With couples counselling, any information shared within individual sessions will not be shared in joint sessions without the consent of the individual.
What records do you keep?
I will write brief notes on our initial conversation and therapy sessions, to keep a record of the work we are doing. These notes are anonymised and stored securely, according to GDPR regulations. You are entitled to request a copy of your session notes. If notes of a couple session are requested, only information relating to the individual making the request will be shared.
Find out more about my Privacy Policy here.
What information will you hold on me?
I will ask you to provide me with your contact details, so that I can share practical information, confirm session details, and check in as needed. I ask for an emergency contact in case I can’t reach you and I have a concern for your wellbeing. I ask for your GP practice details in case it’s useful to share information on our work, which I’d seek to do with your permission.
Can I record my therapy sessions?
Due to challenges around maintaining confidentiality, I don't give permission for sessions to be recorded. However, I do encourage and support clients to create their own summaries of sessions for reference and self-reflection.
Do you use AI for therapeutic work?
I do not use AI tools for any therapy note-taking or record keeping. This is to ensure that your information remains private and secure.
What happens in a first therapy session?
In our first session we would talk in more detail about how I work, about what’s going on for you, and about how we could work together. We would also agree a focus for the work, so that we can aim for positive change. We would review this focus at regular intervals and adjust it as necessary.
With couples counselling, an initial conversation is usually followed by and individual session for each participant before joint sessions begin.
Where do therapy sessions take place?
Sessions should always take place in a safe and secure space. I hold face-to-face sessions in Camden (Kentish Town) and Islington (Highbury), North London. This can work well if you want to talk in a neutral space, away from your home and everyday life.
I work in dedicated therapy rooms that are comfortable and without distractions. I hold online sessions for those who prefer to communicate by phone or video. This can work well if you have access to a quiet space where you can talk privately and without interruptions.
How long does a therapy session last?
Sessions are usually 50 minutes long because this is balances several different considerations; the amount of time needed to undertake some meaningful work, to encourage a focussed discussion, and to give a sense of structure.
How do online therapy sessions work?
If you request phone sessions, I will call you at an agreed time each week. If you prefer video sessions, I will provide you with a Zoom link on the day of each scheduled session. As part of the counselling agreement, we will commit to not recording or making transcripts of any therapy sessions.
Read more about my online counselling guidelines here.
Can I bring someone to therapy sessions with me?
In therapy the relationship between client/s and therapist is key. It is usually only recommended that there be an additional person in the room if they have a role supporting communication, such as an interpreter or carer. If you have a child, it is sometimes possible to have them in the room if they are under 1 year of age and not crawling or walking.
What happens if I’m late for a session?
Unless a session is cancelled, I will be available to you for the duration of the scheduled slot. If you are late for a session, we will begin working when you arrive. However, we will always need to stick to the scheduled session end time. If you think you might be late and are able to make contact in advance, this is appreciated.
Payments
How much does therapy cost?
I ask people to pay to reserve a regular session time rather than for each session attended. I charge £60 for individual sessions and £90 for couple sessions. All sessions are 50 minutes long.
If you’re unsure about making a financial commitment to counselling, there are organisations that offer low cost or free counselling, and your GP can also refer you for therapy or counselling through the NHS.
How do payments work?
Payment for sessions can be made in advance, either in bulk or on a weekly basis. I accept payment by bank transfer. I will issue you with a monthly payment statement at the beginning of each month, for your records.
Can I use health insurance to pay for therapy sessions?
I'm not currently registered with a health insurance provider. However, there are health providers who allow you to arrange treatment with an accredited therapist and who will make payment towards, or allow you to claim back, some of the expenses afterwards. Please speak to your insurance provider to clarify their policy.
What happens if I miss a session?
If either of us is unable to attend a session we will provide 48 hours’ notice if possible. If I have any planned absences, I will let you know at least 3 weeks in advance. Missed sessions will need to be paid for, except for end-of-year break when the service closes and when I am on leave.
Take the next step
Book an initial conversation at no cost and with no pressure to commit to further sessions.
How people are best placed to understand themselves and how the things we think and do unconsciously can tell us about hidden parts of ourselves.
Access in-person sessions in Holloway, North London and online sessions by phone or video. How regular sessions are the most effective way to make a positive change. Links to free and low-cost services.
Browse therapy and wellbeing information and resources, including blogposts, playlists and reviews of books, podcasts and apps.