FAQs

Counselling is a way of exploring difficulties in your life with someone who is professionally trained and qualified, someone who has the time to listen and is not involved, so can be impartial and objective. 

Sessions are confidential and usually lasts 50 minutes. Weekly sessions over an agreed period of time are recommended. It is your time and space to share/explore whatever you desire at your own pace. I will not provide you with any advice or make decisions for you, but I will be supportive and non-judgmental.  Between sessions, clients are encouraged to think about and process what was discussed. For the therapy to "work," you must be an active participant, both during and between the therapy sessions.

A number of benefits can be seen/experienced by clients. Often it is helpful just to know that someone understands. Counselling can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from counselling depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn/become aware of. Counselling can help you explore your difficulties in a safe environment, raise self-awareness and a better understanding of what is going on in your life, develop the confidence to face your struggles, bring positive change.

Clients come to counselling for a variety of reasons. Some people choose counselling to address a major issue in their life such as a divorce, bereavement. Others want to gain awareness about some aspect of themselves that they feel is affecting their present lives. Mostly clients are ordinary people struggling with common day issues. Some issues may be feeling anxious, worries about losing your job, divorce/separation, adopting, academic or work stress, having relationship difficulties, lacking in confidence. 

Sessions are agreed with your counsellor before the therapeutic work begins. Usually, clients agree to six sessions where after, a review of the work that has taken place is discussed between client and counsellor.  Clients may choose to continue therapy at that point. Clients can always choose to discontinue counselling at any point.

"Gestalt therapists believe that people potentially have all the necessary abilities to solve their problems or face their difficulties. However, sometimes they get stuck and need some assistance. I see my task as a therapist is to help you see more clearly what your situation is, find out how you are a part of it, and experiment with finding new solutions or ways to face the difficulty."

"Gestalt is a humanistic/existential therapy, which believes that people are born with the resources and ability to be in rewarding contact with other human beings, and lead a satisfying, creative life. However, often during childhood and sometimes later on, something interrupts this process and a person becomes stuck in fixed patterns and beliefs about themselves that get in the way. Gestalt aims to investigate and uncover how these patterns are still active and affecting a person's present life. "

From 'Skills in Gestalt Counselling & Psychotherapy' by Phil Joyce & Charlotte Sills