Accessing therapy

In-person Counselling

My office is based on a farm, just outside of Cobham, in Surrey.  It's a comfortable and discrete environment, designed specifically to offer a therapeutic space.  I love being in there - it feels so peaceful - and many others feel the same.  There is ample off-road parking, as well as toilet facilities.   

Online Counselling

I use a platform called Doxy, which is a computer program designed specifically for medical professionals to engage with patients/clients and is used to host online virtual meetings. You can use Doxy on a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop, or a desktop computer - just so long as it has a camera, speakers, and a microphone. It uses your device’s camera to show live video, the speakers to let you hear, and the microphone to let you talk. There is no need to download or install – I will send you a link to my meeting room ahead of our session.  You just need to click on this at the time of your appointment.  I will be notified that you have joined and then admit you to the session.  

Telephone Counselling

This is similar to online counselling, but without the visual aspects. You may want to consider whether you would like to call me, or for me to call you.  There are both advantages and disadvantages to not being able to see each other. Telephone counselling provides you with a level of anonymity and there will be no fear of accidentally meeting each other outside of our sessions. This may help you to be more open during our work. Non-verbal communication will be more difficult to interpret and we will both need to be mindful that it may take a little while to attune to one another.

For both online or telephone counselling you will need a private space where you will not be overheard. It is important for you to feel that you are safe and able to speak freely. Online and telephone counselling can have significant advantages over the more traditional face-to-face therapy – there will be more flexibility to find a regular time that suits you when you do not need to travel to my office. There is a level of privacy afforded by working online or by phone: no one will see you coming to my practice. You have the choice of how we communicate - either by video or phone. Of course, if we find that something isn’t working, we can always look at finding a different approach. 

It is also important to be aware of some other factors that may affect the therapy, or your feelings towards it. How comfortable are you with using technology? How will it feel not seeing me face-to-face? Might you feel hesitant to share thoughts and feelings with someone you can’t see, or could there be a temptation to overshare? We will have the opportunity to talk about all of these things and work out the best way forward for you.