Questions and Answers

My counsellor had a great depth of insight and understanding and the ability to put me completely at ease which led to complete openness.

Questions and Answers

What happens in my first session of counselling?

Counselling is always led by your needs. During your first session your counsellor will guide you through our counselling agreement, answer any questions you have about our service, help you clarify what you would like to achieve through counselling and then begin to establish a therapeutic relationship and start working towards your goals.

At the end of the first session your counsellor will ask how you feel the session has gone, check if you feel comfortable with them as a counsellor and arrange another session if this is wanted.

How can counselling at Reach help me?

Your counsellor will focus on your presenting issues and hopes using good counselling and listening skills and treating you with respect, acceptance, empathy and honesty. He/she will seek to build a trusting and warm relationship, using their preferred model of counselling, in order to allow you to fully explore your concerns and to enable you to grow and move forward in the direction you would like to. This often involves changing patterns of thinking, emotional exploration and developing new ways of communicating and relating. For those who have a Christian faith, there is also the opportunity to fully include all that this means to them within the counselling process.

We help clients facing a very wide range of problems, but we will be clear if we feel we cannot help you or if we need to signpost you elsewhere.

Is counselling confidential?

Yes, although there are certain legal and organisational limits to this. These may be discussed with your counsellor or our Appointments Manager if this is of particular concern to you. Please note that all of our counsellors undertake supervision where a client’s progress may be discussed, with anonymity, with a supervisor who also maintains confidentiality.

Does my counsellor keep notes about each session?

Yes. These are usually brief notes which are stored in a confidential coded system. Notes are used as a memory jogger and to help keep a record of the client’s progress and some of the matters which have been explored.

How many sessions of counselling will I need / do you recommend?

This depends upon how many sessions you and your counsellor agree to. Some matters can be addressed in under six sessions. Complex issues are likely to take a longer period to explore and address. We always consider your wishes and your progress.

How regularly should I see my counsellor?

This is through agreement with your counsellor and may depend on availability, but is generally once a fortnight or once a month. Should you need greater help initially then sessions may be more frequent at first becoming more spread out over a period of time.

When will I be seen?

We hope to be able to offer an appointment within six weeks of receiving a completed Registration Form and Registration Fee of £5. However, this can sometimes be sooner or may even take longer during busy times or during holiday seasons. If you believe your issue is urgent we will do what we can to see you sooner.

We typically offer counselling appointments Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Some counsellors may also be available in the early evening and at weekends.

Who will my counsellor be?

Our Appointments Manager carefully allocates the most appropriate and available counsellor for each new client based on the information provided on their Registration Form.

Over 35 years we have developed a thorough recruitment process to bring together a team of trained counsellors. All our counsellors are qualified and now on the accredited register that is overseen by the Professional Standards Authority (unless they are still in training). All of our counsellors undergo regular supervision and commit to at least 25 hours continuing professional development (CPD) each year.

Many of our counsellors are also members of other professional bodies and some do or have held senior positions in churches and other organisations.

How do I pay for my counselling?

We do not have fixed charges for counselling. We encourage all of our clients to consider our ‘Fair Donation Principle’ which suggests clients donate in line with their own level of income, e.g. £20 per session for someone earning £20,000 per year, £30 for £30,000 etc. This allows people at all levels of society to access counselling at Reach. Donation envelopes are available in the counselling room for your convenience. It is also possible to donate online via our website.

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