Frequently Asked Questions

How much will it cost?

Counselling sessions are £50 per session (i.e. per 50 minute session).

I offer a reduced cost initial session which is £35.

Fees are payable before each session (payment confirms the booking).

Payment is made via bank transfer or by cash if you do not have access to online banking (by mutual agreement).

Please note my name may appear on your bank statements.

Do you offer any reduced cost counselling sessions?

I appreciate that personal circumstances can make it difficult to access counselling. I therefore have a limited number of reduced rate online sessions for unpaid mothers/those on maternity leave (£40 p/h).

I also offer a discount for students.

Please contact me to discuss your needs and circumstances - You can email me here.

When/Where are sessions ?

I offer:

Counselling from a beautiful hut in woodland in Hadlow Down (near Uckfield/ Heathfield/ Crowborough)
Counselling in Stoneham (nr Lewes/Uckfield)
Counselling in Hove
Online Counselling - Nationwide

Please visit "Ways to Work with Me" for more detail. Maps can be found here.

Sessions are held on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

I offer both daytime & evening appointments.

What happens if I cancel?

If you need to cancel a session, please send me an email or text as soon as possible.

In order to maintain a regular slot for your sessions, any missed or cancelled sessions (where less than 24 hours’ notice is given) will still need to be paid for in full.

I will always try to find an alternative session for you that week if possible, subject to availability.

To cancel a session, you can email me here.

How long will I need to see a counsellor for?

Each person is unique and so there is no set number of sessions that are required.

Some people work with me for a short period (6 - 12 weeks) and some people work with me longer term.

You are welcome to book a block of sessions and then take a break and return at a later date.

I believe that for counselling to have a positive outcome, it does require a certain amount of commitment, particularly at the start of our time together - I therefore ask that clients commit to weekly sessions, where possible.

What are your credentials?

I am a fully qualified person - centred counsellor and a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). As a member of BACP, I adhere to their ethical framework for good practice. I also hold a degree in law and criminology.

I regularly undertake continued personal development and recent examples include training on ecotherapy, rainbow babies and fertility.

I also work as a Counsellor and Support Group Facilitator at Release Counselling for Women in Brighton.

What about Confidentiality?

Counselling offers a safe, supportive and confidential space to talk through your difficulties. As part of our work together, I will need to collect basic personal data from you, such as your contact details, GP details and emergency contact details.

I will provide you with a copy of my privacy policy at the outset of us working together, which contains further detail about how your information is securely stored.

All personal information shared during your counselling sessions will remain confidential, save for exceptional circumstances such as a legal requirement or if I believe there is a risk of harm to yourself or others - we will discuss confidentiality in more detail when agreeing our way of working together.

You can read an overview of my policies here.

Do you use social media?

I do use social media as part of my practice. You can choose to like or comment on my posts, but please be aware that it is a public profile and so it can be seen by anyone who visits these pages. I would never identify you as being one of my clients on social media.

To maintain confidentiality and to ensure professional boundaries are maintained, unfortunately I am unable to accept friend requests from clients and I do not engage in extensive direct messaging with clients via social media - the best way to contact me regarding our sessions will always be to send an email

I am happy to discuss this further if required.

Exclusions

Unfortunately, there are some issues that you may be experiencing where I believe it will be better for you to seek a more specialised service and/or support, these include:

1. Anyone under the age of 18
2. Couples therapy
3. Current alcohol or substance misuse or another form of addiction (particularly where there is a history of these difficulties)
4. A recent diagnosis from a psychiatrist/psychologist (for example someone currently experiencing schizophrenia/psychosis/paranoia)
5. A long term history of contact with mental health services
6. Complex trauma

7. Family therapy

8. Disordered eating

9. Actively suicidal in the last 6 months

If I feel it would be better for you to approach a more specialised source of support, I will discuss this with you and I I am happy to help you in finding the right support if required.

Where can I get urgent help?

Due to family commitments, I work part- time. I will endeavour to respond to your emails as quickly as possible, but please note this may not be immediate.

I am not able to provide a crisis intervention.

If you feel that you need urgent help, please contact your GP or you can call 999.

Other support services include:

The Samaritans (Brighton and Hove)

01273 772277

Sussex Mental Health Line

03005 000101

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Next steps...

Connection call

I know how important it is to find a counsellor that is right for you and so I offer a FREE 15 - 20 MINUTE CONNECTION CALL, where we can meet each other (online or on the telephone).

The call will not be a therapy session, but will give us the opportunity to have an informal chat, to explore if we are able to do some meaningful work together, and will help us to ascertain if I am the right fit for you. You are also welcome to ask me any questions. You can book call here

There is no commitment to have further sessions with me after the call.

In person counselling Uckfield Hove Crowbrough Heathfield

Connection Session

After the initial call, you can either book a Connection Session with me or you can go away and take some time to think things over. If you decide you would like to proceed, we will then arrange a Connection Session.

During this first session, I will be interested to hear your reasons for seeking counselling, what you are looking for and what your hopes are for any sessions we have together. If you have had therapy before, you might also want to talk about what worked and what didn't work for you. Again, you will have the opportunity to ask me any questions. I will also need to ask you some basic questions about your circumstances and we will cover practical things such as confidentiality and its limits in more detail. I am currently offering this at a reduced cost of £35.

Finally, I want to add that I know how daunting it can feel to reach out for counselling, particularly the sense of not knowing where to start or what to expect, but if you are reading this, remember that you have already taken the first step ... and also know that I will offer you a safe, warm and welcoming space for whatever it is that you bring.

You can book an initial call or initial session here.