• Diagnose disorders or problems in their patients/clients.
• Determine appropriate treatments based on clinical diagnoses and observations.
• Often work in tandem with a psychiatrist.
• Help patients/clients make decisions and clarify feelings.
• Provide support and guidance.
  

• Careful listening is the largest part of what all counsellors do.
• They make sure clients have defined the problem areas in their own terms and help them define what they wish to do next.
• Some will then be more active, offering suggestions for further ways of investigating or beginning to resolve the problems; others let the work proceed more at the client’s pace.

• Counsellors don’t ever give advice of the “I’d divorce if I was you” variety since the purpose of counselling is to help you make your own decision.
• Counsellors will never make a moral decision about the course of action you ought to take.
• They may sum up what they understand you have been saying so far in order to help you move on and form a plan of action.

CBT focuses on present problems and conflicts. This approach assumes that psychological problems develop because of maladaptive expectations, assumptions, beliefs, and perceptions about ourselves and others, which lead to ineffective coping behaviour.

• CBT uses models to help you develop a new understanding of your difficulties;
• CBT is skills-based, so it encourages the development of new skills to manage difficulties;
• CBT is a structured treatment, ensuring that therapy is efficient and remains focused.

Simply put, psychotherapy helps people to become better people. More specifically, psychotherapy is the application of clinical methods derived from established psychological principles for the purpose of assisting people to modify their thoughts, behaviours, and feelings.

Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness. More specifically, it is a therapeutic modality that consists of intense concentration, focus, and relaxation. It is potentially helpful in the treatment of a host of conditions, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and performance enhancement.

NLP is a relatively new discipline within the psychological therapies; it is mainly an approach to communication and personal development.

I can be just a counsellor or a psychologist or a psychoanalyst but I have found a lead with the application of all of my skills (under one ‘umbrella’), to provide faster and accurate progress and improvement for the benefit of my clients. With continuing professional development (CPD) I maintain, develop and continue to learn all the necessary skills and knowledge that will keep me up to date and able to work safely, legally and effectively.

Everyone goes through challenging situations in life, and while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you’ve faced, there’s nothing wrong with seeking out extra support when you need it. In fact, therapy is for people who have enough self-awareness to realize they need a helping hand, and that is something to be admired. You are taking responsibility by accepting where you’re at in life and making a commitment to change the situation by seeking therapy. Therapy provides long-lasting benefits and support, giving you the tools you need to avoid triggers, re-direct damaging patterns, and overcome whatever challenges you face.

NO, only a Psychiatrist can. Research suggests that therapy tends to produce more long-term improvements by addressing the underlying causes of the symptoms rather than just managing the symptoms, which is what medications often do.

Absolutely, Yes. The therapeutic relationship is very important and if you do not feel comfortable with a particular therapist, you should try to find someone you can better connect with.

On rare occasions, I’ve met some of my clients ‘on and off’ for more than a year. However the average number of sessions concentrating on a particular problem is around six, dependent upon the complexity of the issue/s and how long you’ve been burdened by them. You are never under any obligation to continue with therapies.

Each 50 minutes session costs £85 and the amount is based for singles and couples too. A family session costs £115. Please send your details for enquiries on groups and work/business organisations.

No. In any business, someone will always do it cheaper but this doesn’t mean that he/she is better; it’s just “cheaper”. I set competitive fees for quality services.

That depends on how much support you need and how eager you are to do the work and how quickly you want to tackle issues. Most patients come weekly, but I see a lot of people twice a week or twice a month. Sometimes the reasons for coming every other week are financial. It’s a lot cheaper to come once every two weeks. In general, it makes sense to start off weekly until we get to know each other and we might just need to meet once fortnightly.

As with qualifications, membership of professional bodies is not a guarantee of effectiveness in practice or that the therapist will suit you personally. What it means is that your therapist is governed by rules set by the professional body, should he/she comply with them or not.

I hold client privacy and confidentiality as one of the essential ingredients to any successful therapy and therefore critical for each and every client I see. Sound therapy is built on privacy and confidentiality.

There are some exceptions to this rule of confidentiality including:

1) when a client is an imminent threat to him or herself or someone else;

2) knowledge of the abuse or neglect of a child, dependent adult or elderly person;

3) client treatment records are requested by court order;

4) legal proceeding (e.g. divorce, other lawsuits including worker’s compensation, etc).