Frequently Asked Questions
My specialism is working with adolescents between 11 and 25 who are experiencing a challenging time. Whether you feel paralysed by procrastination, very angry or unmotivated or hyper aware of what others are thinking, counselling can help. Sometimes when there are specific outside stressors, like losing a loved one or juggling the pressure of exams, it is clear we need a space to be understood. Often though the experience of not knowing why we feel the way we do and struggling to pinpoint or express exactly what we feel can feel infinitely more frustrating and confusing- it can make us feel out of control, helpless or stuck. In these instances counselling can be a huge help to untangle and make sense of what is going on inside.
I work with UK clients and US clients (in a selected states in compliance with their trade laws).
I support the young people with a complex and wide range of challenges including feelings of anxiety, low mood, stress, a wide variety of life transitions, grief/bereavement and difficulties with school, friendships, or family life. Every young person’s experience is different and complex, and you don’t need to fit into a specific category to seek support. I also have a very solid experience base of working with neurodivergent individuals.
I offer online sessions only in my private practice.
It is completely normal to feel unsure about starting something new. And yet if we stick to what feels familiar and do what we’ve always done- things rarely change the way we might hope for. Starting counselling can feel strange, but you are in control of the pace and the experience is led by you. Sometimes people may start counselling and decide that it isn’t the right time for them and that’s completely ok. An initial session can simply be a chance to meet, ask questions, and see whether it feels like a good fit. It’s a very personal decision picking a counsellor and there’s no obligation to continue if it doesn’t feel right.
The first session is a chance to get a sense of each other and talk about what has brought you to counseling. I’ll explain how counselling works, including confidentiality and safeguarding, and there will be space to ask any questions. There’s no pressure to share anything before you’re ready, there’s no rush — we’ll go at a pace that feels comfortable.
Parents or caregivers are usually involved in the initial stages, particularly when arranging sessions and they may want to share background information, with younger clients parents may also want to discuss how to support their child. Ongoing sessions are confidential to support trust and openness for the young person. They need to experience counselling as space that is uniquely theirs to feel emotionally safe and have the best outcomes in therapy. Where appropriate and with the young person’s consent, I can work collaboratively with parents while always keeping the young person’s wellbeing at the center. Any safeguarding concerns would be managed carefully and in line with professional guidelines.
Everything shared within a counselling session is treated as confidential. The only exception is if I am concerned about a person’s safety or the safety of others. In these situations, I have a professional duty to act in line with UK safeguarding guidelines (these differ between under 18s and adults). In instances where I need to take information out of the counselling space I would always do my best to inform you I am going to do this. I handle safeguarding disclosures with sensitivity and care whilst prioritising safety.
Sessions last 50minutes. Especially when first beginning weekly sessions are recommended to build a foundation and momentum for the young person. People come to see me for a length of time that feels right to them, I do both short-term work 6-10 sessions and longer term more open-ended work and often people might do a shorter term piece of therapeutic work and come back in the future when a different challenge arises. It is something we have regular check-ins about, and it’s never awkward to talk about stopping. Endings are important in counselling and that’s why we have check ins regularly to facilitate young people being able to advocate for themselves when it might feel like enough and empower them to have a planned for ending.
I work flexibly and often young people want to attend during the school term and take breaks during the holidays this is easily facilitated.
Counselling is a space to have your feelings and experiences held and treated with care- it is a place to express and explore which does not always have a predictable trajectory. That said- Individuals often experience relief and benefits from the first session of counselling and in some cases 6 sessions can be sufficient to build a foundation of insight which can cause a shift in experience- especially for clients 17 and over I currently work within a 6 session model at a university have seen consistent data that supports this. I have observed that often 11-16’s it can take additional time to build trust and security and for positive impacts or relief of distress to be experienced.
Sessions are priced at £70. Block pricing is available but not recommended until after 4 sessions when the young person or yourself has a more informed opinion about whether they want to continue, as what I would never want is someone to feel obliged to attend due to finances (this is particularly sensitive when working with young people as they are aware their parents are funding the sessions) which could form a negative association with talking about their experience.
Concessional prices are available for individuals who are self-funded and not living with their parents, please contact me for details.
Payment is required 24hrs before a session to guarantee the booking. Cancellation must be 12 hours before a session for me to be able to reschedule the session at no cost, a missed session or late cancellation incurs a £35 fee.
A regular session time at the beginning is important for the positive stabilizing impacts of counselling to be felt by the client.
If you fill out the contact form, I will get in touch, and we’ll arrange an initial conversation to talk about your needs and see whether working together feels like a good fit. There’s no obligation to continue beyond this first step.
Still have questions?
Starting therapy is a big step, and it’s natural to have more questions. If you didn’t find the answer you were looking for, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to help you navigate this process.