Who you'll be sitting with
The people doing the work
Most of what makes counselling work comes down to the person sitting opposite you, and whether they can stay with what you bring without rushing to fix it or move you along. That's what we look for when we bring someone onto the team, and it's what we keep training for afterwards.
How our counsellors are trained
Everyone here works within their professional scope, carries liability insurance and takes part in ongoing clinical supervision. On top of their own qualifications, each counsellor is trained in the presence-based approach that runs through the whole practice. It isn't a technique so much as a way of being with someone, and it's the part most clinical training never really covers.
Where a counsellor holds a formal registration, the designation and registration number appear on your receipt. That's the detail your insurer will look at, and you'll be told it clearly at the first conversation rather than having to go looking for it.
Finding the right person
The strongest predictor of whether counselling works isn't the method or the letters after someone's name. It's the relationship between the two of you. So we'd much rather you spoke to two or three counsellors before choosing, and we'd far rather you changed your mind in week two than stayed somewhere for a year out of politeness.
If the fit isn't right, please say so. Around one person in five needs a second match. We'll move you at no cost and without any awkwardness, and nobody will take it personally. It's a normal part of finding a counsellor rather than a sign that something has gone wrong.
Not sure who to ask for? Most people aren't.
Send us a sentence or two about what's going on and we'll suggest someone, then set up the conversation for you.