How long will it take?
How long counselling or a therapy will take depends on the reasons for seeking help. A specific problem or a difficulty that's happened recently is likely to respond to 6 to 12 sessions of CBT or focused Psychodynamic work. If the reason for seeking help is long standing or more generalised then a more open-ended approach will probably be more appropriate. The likely time you spend in counselling or therapy will be discussed with you during an initial consultation.
Is it Confidential?
Yes. Whatever is said in the consulting room stays there. The only people who know that you are having counselling or therapy are those you choose to tell yourself.
Will I have to 'rake up' the past?
The aim of counselling and psychotherapy is to live an emotionally healthy and fulfilling life in the present, not to dwell in the past. However the key to how we deal with life and the inevitable problems it throws up can lie in our very early relationships and life experiences. If we understand and have insight into these we are not a prisoner of our past but free to explore new ways of being.
How will I know when I am finished?
At your initial consultation we will discuss what you want from counselling or therapy. If a fixed number of sessions is agreed then that would be when you finish. In open-ended work the right time to finish is discussed and thought about over a number of sessions.
