What to Expect

It can be daunting to take the first step to arrange a counselling session, especially if you are unsure of what to expect. This section was created to give you an overview of what is involved in setting up an appointment and an idea of what you can expect from our sessions. If you still have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me via WhatsApp,  email, or the contact form – I’m happy to answer any questions that can help put your mind at ease or help you decide if you would like to work with me.

On this page you will find information about: 

  • The intake process
  • Types of sessions
  • Session duration and frequency

Getting started

Your first step will be to contact me, which you can do via WhatsApp message or email, or the message box on my contact page. I generally respond to WhatsApp messages faster than to emails. You are welcome to message me at any time, and I will respond when I can. Messages received over weekends may only receive a response on the following Monday.

The first message can (but doesn’t have to) include:

  • A short introduction and some information about what you are looking for.
  • Questions to help you decide whether you’d like to work with me.
  • The country and time zone you are in.

If you’d rather discuss these things in a session, you can simply let me know that you’d like to arrange an intake session, the preferred times of the day/week, and your time zone.

Once we have agreed on a session time, I will send you a Zoom link and a short intake form, or directions to my counselling room. After each session, I will send you a payment link (for international clients) or an invoice/amount payable (for local clients), and the Zoom link for our next session. 

If there is anything you find difficult to bring up in a session, you are welcome to text or email me before we start or between sessions.

Intake form

The intake form is to collect your details and to explain my scope of practice, fees, and cancellation policy.
The form only asks a few basic questions, and you can skip any questions you'd rather not answer.

Intake session

The intake session is for us to get to know each other and to get an idea of the best way forward for you. We will talk about some or all of the following:

  • What you are hoping to achieve with our sessions.
  • Your current situation and background.
  • The frequency of sessions that would suit you best.
  • Any previous experiences you may have had with therapy, and what did and did not work for you.
  • Any questions or concerns you may have.

Follow-up sessions

From this point the process depends on what your goals are. For example, if you would like to address a single traumatic event, we will likely arrange a Trauma Debrief session. If you have a variety of things you’d like to work on, we may decide to focus on the most urgent issue in our next session, or we might use the next session to help you decide what you’d like to work on first. If you have no idea how to describe what you would like from our sessions, we will spend some time to figure that out.

What happens in a session?

Every person has their own way of processing and finding solutions and their own set of strengths and limitations. Together, we will figure out what works best for you. 

We will start by having a conversation. I will ask some questions and give you the time you need to answer them in as much or as little detail as you choose. You will not have to talk about anything you don't want to. Often, these conversations alone allow you to come to new insights and conclusions. I might offer some information or practical strategies you could try out. 

Once we have an idea of what you are looking for, I will suggest our next step. Have a look at the different options under Counselling for descriptions of the types of counselling I offer.

Types of Sessions:

1. Conversational Sessions

  • These sessions are free-flowing conversations where I listen to you, ask clarifying questions, and provide information where relevant.
  • I will mention any patterns and potential causal factors that I notice.
  • Unlike a conversation with a friend, the session stays focused on you and the topic you want to look at. I will not give you advice, but will help you unpack the issue and explore your options.

2. Short, targeted exercises drawn from Applied Metapsychology

  • In these exercises I guide you through a pre-set series of steps or questions, while refraining from interrupting you in any way.
  • I do not make comments or suggestions during the process, but we can discuss what came up afterwards - usually in a follow-up session.

Advantages of the structured exercises:

  • Any conclusions you draw come 100% from you, and are in line with your own worldview and values.
  • The exercises enable you to systematically unpack an overwhelming issue. This is particularly useful for people who have difficulty articulating their feelings and those who process verbally.
  • These exercises often deliver powerful results in a short time.

3. Targeted trauma debriefing (TIR)

  • The TIR technique allows you to process a traumatic experience, to the level of your current capacity, in one session. Since the TIR must be completed in a single session, these sessions are fully open-ended to give you as much time as you need to finish the process.
  • The goal of TIR is to be able to remember the events without triggering the emotions or sensory impressions you felt at the time. TIR also resolves other symptoms of trauma like nightmares, phobias, anxiety, being irritable or jumpy, and physical symptoms.
  • A variation of the TIR can be used to address trauma responses when you don’t know what the original traumatic experience was.

4. Internal Family Systems and Parts work

  • In these sessions we look at what your different “parts” think, feel, and believe about the topic you want to work on.
  • Parts work can span over a period of time or be applied in a single session - depending on your goals.

5. Skills Building & Providing Information

  • I provide practical strategies for things like anxiety management, emotional regulation, managing life demands, executive functioning, and relationship and communication skills.
  • I provide information relevant to your situation/challenges.
  • If you want to work on things in the time between sessions, I provide exercises, media, and activities when applicable.

6. Coaching

  • I draw on NLP, Schema work, Transactional Analysis, and a variety of other modalities to help you get to know yourself better,  determine your goals and how to reach them, and learn to practice self-supporting inner talk.
  • Please note that I am a counsellor first, and only draw on coaching tools as part of the counselling process.

7. Relationship Coaching

  • Most of what is on this page is relevant to both individual and joint sessions. 
  • Relationship counselling with me usually involves both joint and individual sessions.
  • Please have a look at  Relationship Coaching for more information.

Session Length

My sessions are not limited to one hour, unless that is your preference. This means that you will have the time you need to say what you want to say and will not be stopped halfway through talking about a difficult topic, only to have to get into it all over again in your next session.

  • “Open-ended” does not mean my sessions go on for hours on end. Most of my sessions come to a natural conclusion in 60 – 90 minutes, but every person tends to have an ideal session duration that does not vary by much. If you work best with longer sessions, that is what we will do.
  • You will only be charged for the time used, rounded up or down to the nearest half an hour.
  • If you don’t have time/budget for an open-ended session, we will stick to the time you have, unless we do a TIR.

Session frequency

The frequency of your sessions depends on on you and what you want to work on. This is something we will discuss, and I can make recommendations if needed. 

  • Some work is best done in regular weekly or bi-weekly sessions.
  • Most people schedule their next session at the end of the previous one. You don't need to commit to the same time-slot every week.
  • Some people prefer longer sessions, spaced further apart. I provide them with suggestions for things to do between sessions if they are keen to work on things in their own time.
  • Clients who got what they wanted from our sessions often return, for 1 - 5 sessions at a time, to get support and talk through life challenges as they arise (like decisions, traumatic events, relationships ending/beginning, support through life changes, getting a diagnoses, etc).

Personal agency and self-determination are core values in my work. My practice is inclusive
and affirming of those who identify as or practice
LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergent, CNM/Polyamory/Swingers, Kinksters, & Sex Workers.

This is a secular practice. While people of all faiths are welcome and respected, and I am experienced at working with people in their own spiritual paradigm, I offer a non-religious space designed to support atheists, agnostics, and others who prefer a non-spiritual approach.