How often and for how long will we meet?

Freedom Therapy Belper Derbyshire, therapist Nicola Tatham, Counselling Derbyshire, Therapy in Derby, CBT Belper, Counsellor near Duffield, Ashbourne, Darley Abbey, Allestree — Make the investment to nurture yourself. At Freedom Therapy we listen, we care and we help you to make sense of what’s happening in your life and your mind

We recognise that everyone’s circumstances differ and as a result, we do not dictate how often to meet for counselling. We will discuss this with you on an ongoing basis. Many people opt for weekly sessions with their therapist, but if you work shifts or have other commitments this might not be convenient, so talk to us about finding a solution that will work.

At Freedom Therapy in Belper we don’t see your visits with us as an open-ended commitment and typically, between 6-8 sessions is a good place to start. We will work with you to agree how many counselling sessions you think you would like to see us for, but won’t hold you to this. If you feel you are ready to finish sooner than you first thought, that’s great. It makes us happy if we know you are feeling better about a situation sooner rather than later!

I hardly know you, how am I expected to share my darkest thoughts with you?

It can be very liberating to talk to someone who isn’t close to you and doesn’t know those around you. What you share with me will allow me to see things from your perspective, through your eyes, without judgement. Life circumstances, trauma, our upbringing, even our peers from school, have an impact on how we deal with situations as adults and it is my job to help you navigate your way through your life challenges.

It is important during our sessions that we build trust, so that you have the confidence to share your thoughts and anxieties with me. The more honest the relationship between us, the better results you are likely to see.

What happens during our first counselling session?

Our first session is a fact-finding exercise that will help me gain a better idea of what has brought you to therapy, to understand what you would like to get out of it and what changes you would like to see in your life.

It will also help you decide whether I am right for you and if you think you will be comfortable exploring your challenges with me. There are many therapists with different approaches, styles and personalities. Use your instinct to decide and never feel obliged to see me again if it doesn’t feel right. If you decide not to choose Freedom Therapy going forward, I can help put you in contact with other therapists in my network.

How will I know when it’s time to end therapy?

This is really up to you. At the start of our counselling journey we will discuss the number of sessions you think you might like to have but this can always be increased or reduced to meet your ongoing needs.

At the outset, we will agree on your intended outcomes and use these as a means of ‘checking-in’ to help guide your decision to end therapy. When you do decide to leave, be assured that you can visit us for a progress review or if you face an unexpected setback you are always welcome to come back and see us again.

If you have any further questions, do contact us.