North Bristol Counselling
Serving Bristol & South Gloucestershire
What to
expect
People come to see a counsellor for lots of different reasons. There may be something specific you are struggling with such as a relationship difficulty, bereavement, traumatic event or major life event.
Or you may have a general sense of unease, unhappiness or anxiety. You may want to gain a better understanding of yourself and your emotions. Sometimes it can be easier to talk about issues with someone not directly involved in your life.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN FIRST?
The first session is a chance for you to ask any questions and for us to see how we can work together. I will also go through a contract – which covers practical things like confidentiality, fees and cancellations. It may be that after this session you want some time to think about whether or not to proceed. This is absolutely fine. It is important that you feel comfortable.
Comfortable therapy room
STARTING COUNSELLING
I work in a relational and person-centred way. I will listen to understand how you see things, taking into account your experiences. I am warm, empathetic and non-judgemental.
Counselling can help you to understand why you feel the way you do, and support you to find a way forward. I won't tell you what to do, or give advice, but rather we will work together to help you find a view of yourself and your situation which feels more positive.
I understand that talking about difficult experiences and feelings can be hard, so we will work at a pace that feels comfortable for you. The counselling relationship is different from other relationships in that it is confined to the times of sessions and the focus is on you, so I won't talk about myself to detract from that.
Whilst we will regularly reflect on how you are finding the experience of counselling, I usually suggest a review after 6 weeks. This is a chance to check if you are finding the support helpful. Some people prefer short-term counselling to work on a specific issue, whilst others find it helpful to have counselling over a longer period.