How might an initial session be helpful before I decide to go ahead?

The aim of counselling is to provide you, the client, with the opportunity to talk about any problems or difficulties you have that are bothering you and to explore your thoughts and feelings in a safe place, without judgement.

As such, an initial session to explore what it is you want from counselling and to consider if client and counsellor are a suitable match, aims to help this process. It is an opportunity for you to ask questions and to share and think together about fears, hopes and expectations you may have about the counselling process and any previous experiences of counselling you may have had.

To help this process, some information about your experiences, significant life events, past and present relationships, and how you are day to day, can be supportive to understanding what life is like for you and what you may need from counselling. You only need to share what you feel safe and are comfortable to share. There is no expectation to go to deeply into your issues at this point, we would work together to build trust and safety in our relationship to help enable this in sessions going forward.

Whilst it is hoped that we will be able to proceed to work together, there may be a number of reasons why we decide that this is not possible and as such there is no obligation or expectation that sessions will continue after an initial session.  

If you do wish to proceed and it is agreed that we can work together, further sessions can be agreed with a view that the objectives of the counselling are decided by you and what you want to achieve.