Frequently Asked Questions

A. Most people achieve their aims for counselling within 6 – 10 sessions, however some of my clients have achieved their aims for counselling in just 3 session, and some have opted to stay for longer periods.

A. My Counselling room is a short walk from Banbury Cross.

A. My fees range from £63 to £90 per session, dependent upon the route of referral and whether therapy is to be for individuals or couples.

A. My telephone number and email address are on my contact page. Or you can fill out my contact form. I’ll be happy to hear from you and answer any questions.

A. CBT is an approach to counselling, also sometimes called psychotherapy. There are many different kinds of counselling, all known as “talk therapy.” Many counsellors use a technique called Person Centred or Humanistic counselling. Using this approach the counsellor will adopt a “client lead” approach during the counselling session, meaning the counsellor is non-directive. The counsellor communicates to the client the feelings of Respect (genuine positive regard) Empathy (experiencing along with the client) and Genuineness (being honest in their reactions to the client)

In CBT the counsellor will be more directive, suggesting appropriate tasks and activities and keeping therapy moving towards a specified, client selected goal.

CBT is my main approach to counselling because I feel it is most helpful when people start coming and need help feeling better quickly.

A. If you need urgent help, contact your GP. I feel counselling should be available to everyone who feels they could benefit and keep a limited number of appointments open to those on low income. Contact me for details. Alternatively, take a look at my further information page which lists alternative resources.

A. Anyone and everyone can benefit from counselling. A lot of people come to explore their feelings after big change, like the break up of a relationship, or death of a loved one. Some come after thinking big and scary thoughts like “There’s nothing stopping me driving my car off a cliff”, or “I don’t love my husband anymore, does that mean I should end the marriage?” Some people come to explore the “Bigger Questions” like “Who am I? What’s the meaning of my life?” And some come because they’re experiencing difficult or limiting feelings like depression, phobia, anxiety etc.

A. Thoughts and feelings are closely linked. Changing your mood by deciding to feel different is almost impossible because mood resides in a different part of the brain to conscious thought. For example, imagine one day you see a friend across the street and call out “Hello” and your friend does not respond. The thought, “He’s avoiding me, perhaps he doesn’t like really me.” Is likely to lower your mood, whereas thinking, “Perhaps he is preoccupied and didn’t hear me” is unlikely to have this affect.

CBT can teach you to challenge your negative thoughts in order to improve your mood overall.

It might be helpful here to point out that CBT is not “positive thinking” which in itself can cause it’s own problems caused by squashing thoughts and feelings down and leaving them unexpressed. CBT is realistic thinking.

"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."