Fees, Payment & FAQs
My Fee
30 minute introductory telephone call: free
50 minute online session: £70.00
How to Pay
Please pay in advance for each session by debit or credit card. At the time of booking, full payment is required at least 24 hours prior to your session. Once payment is received, a receipt will be sent to you via email.
Please keep in mind that if the session is not booked and paid for at least 24 hours in advance, the appointment will not go ahead. Payments made are non-refundable.
Rescheduling and Cancellation
Clients typically, particularly in the initial stages, tend to favour reserving the same session time on a weekly basis. However, when it comes to accommodating clients with busy or irregular schedules, online therapy really shines.
Please give as much notice as you can if you need to reschedule, however I appreciate that sometimes you may have an emergency and need to cancel at short notice. I will always try to reschedule your appointment to a different time and day in the same week as the original appointment where possible. If, however I cannot, the full payment will still need to be made.
Do I have to pay for missed sessions?
If you give less than 48 hours’ notice of cancellation before your session, the cost is payable in full. If I postpone your session for any reason, money you have paid in respect of such session will be credited to the next one.
If you need to reschedule or cancel for any reason, please let me know as soon as possible, but at least 48 hours in advance, so that a cancellation fee does not apply. I can also make the space available to someone else who may need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
I find it hard to know where to start or what to say
It is natural to feel apprehensive, especially if this is your first time doing something unfamiliar. There is no right place to start or right way of saying things. Say whatever comes to mind, whether it is what you are going through right now or memories from the past. I do not have an agenda, so you will lead the session, and we will work at your own pace. Before we start, I will be curious about what has brought you here right now, and what you hope to gain from counselling.
Why don’t you give me advice or tell me what to do?
Giving advice is not the goal of counselling; instead, it is about giving you the time and space to explore who you are, and with my help, you will be able to find your own way. I can support you in coming up with your own solutions. This can empower you to navigate your life in the long term.
“Success as a therapist is not found in doing something for the client, but rather in being something for the client.” Ili Rivera Walter
Will you be shocked by what I say?
It is okay to share and express any and all feelings you may have. I am compassionate, respectful and non-judgmental as a qualified professional. I understand that expressing yourself may be difficult, however, you do not have to protect yourself or me from what you want to say out of fear of being judged, rejected or shamed.
I don’t know what to do if there is an awkward silence
If there is silence at the beginning of our relationship, it can have a variety of meanings and emotions for different people. Discussing if it would be helpful for me to check how comfortable you feel when silence occurs is a useful approach to working with silence. You may need some time alone to process what has been said or to sit quietly for a while. By getting to know one another, we can work with silence and any feelings that may arise.
What happens if the doorbell sounds, I get a delivery, the phone rings, or somebody, or pet interrupts?
It is essential that online counselling be treated with the same care and respect as if you were in the room with me, behind a closed door, away from home or work. That said, we need to keep in mind that being at home or at work will occasionally throw us a curveball in life that needs to be dealt with at the moment. When in session, it works best if you can create your own private space with the door closed. You want to feel at ease, attentive, and secure enough to express anything that comes to mind. You do not want to be anxious about being overheard, interrupted, or observed by anyone else in the house or at work.
Is everything we discuss confidential?
Everything we talk about is confidential, with the exception of a few legal obligations that we will go over together during your first session. For example, if I considered there was a significant risk to yourself or another person, I would have to communicate that information. However, I would make every effort to discuss this with you first, in the hope that we could work together to find a solution.
I am wondering about the current situation in your environment. Is the therapy space you have created confidential, and will anyone in the house or at work be able to hear or see you? I work in my office with the door closed, and there is a large "Please Do Not Disturb" sign displayed on the door. When I attend clinical supervision, I do not disclose any information that could be used to identify you.
Why don’t you tell me something about yourself?
Although I can be friendly, counselling is not a befriending service. Because counselling is about you, it is not helpful to reveal information about myself. Our relationship may differ from others you have had before, being more structured with boundaries and confidential than friendship. I am here with you in a professional capacity. When you do not know about my personal information, there is no need to fear being judged, rejected, or shamed. This enables you to be more open and honest with me than you might be with close friends or family.
Boundaries provide you with some information that you already have while also ensuring continuity and predictability. For example, we will meet every week at the same time, and payment will be made in advance of the session. I will be there for you and what you bring, providing a safe enough space, giving you my undivided attention, and being fully present during our time together.
What should I do if I want to stop counselling?
It can often be beneficial if you bring this to a session and discuss it with me ahead of time. However, depending on how you have dealt with endings in the past, I understand that thinking about finishing could feel uncomfortable. It would be less disruptive if you could give us a warning so that we could plan and prepare to say our goodbyes. This opens up the possibility of a fresh approach to ending a relationship and new beginnings. Because endings are not always easy, it is important to have the best experience possible.
The amount of counselling a person chooses to undergo varies significantly from person to person. We are all diverse and unique, and we each process what emerges and occurs during therapy in our own way. It is best to keep in mind that you are on your own path, and it is okay if you need to take a break from it and perhaps return at a later stage.
When attempting to change anything, it is natural to have fears and doubts and feel challenged; but, if you think counselling is not working for you, I would appreciate and encourage the opportunity to talk with you if you felt safe doing so. I understand this can be uncomfortable however, returning to talk about any thoughts or feelings you may be experiencing can be helpful.
Every feeling has its own worth and significance. It offers you the chance to be heard and have your anxiety or concern acknowledged and hopefully resolved. I am here to help and support you in any way I can, and hopefully, as a result of this new experience, we will be able to work things out.
