Uncategorised Archives | You Me Us Counselling and Psychotherapy

Frequently Asked Questions

Beginning therapy can feel daunting and you may have questions about how it all works. Here are the answers to the questions that we get asked the most.

Officially the two terms can be be used interchangeably, but often the word counselling is used for shorter term work, and psychotherapy for longer-term, more in depth work.

The counselling world can be a confusing one to navigate, but whether you choose CBT, psychoanalytic therapy or one of the humanistic therapies the really important thing is that you feel comfortable with your counsellor/therapist and that over time you build up enough trust to share thoughts and feelings you might not feel comfortable sharing with friends and family.

Since all types of therapists agree that the relationship between the client and counsellor is of great importance – the ‘us’ in our organisation’s name – the best thing to do is to meet a counsellor and see what your gut response is to talking to them, in person or on the phone.

It can be difficult to judge whether you are going to be able to trust someone initially, but after your first hour you will have a feeling about whether the counsellor you meet is someone you are going to be able to work with. At the end of the session we will check-in with you to see whether you want to book any more sessions, and there is absolutely no obligation to do so. We can even refer you to another counsellor within our organisation if we agree that the fit might be better.

Counselling is usually most effective when you attend every week, but you might be able to arrange an alternative frequency with your counsellor. It will be something that you will contract together. Our counsellors all require 24 hours notice if you wish to cancel an appointment, and are likely to charge for the missed session if you cancel without notice. Sometimes a rearrangement might be possible within the same week.

This varies for each individual. Sometimes six weeks might be enough to address a specific question, but normally around ten to twelve sessions will feel right. Many of our clients find that they need longer-term support and this can go on for years. Again this can be negotiated with your counsellor and you will review regularly how they sessions are going and whether you wish to continue. You can leave whenever you like, but it is usual to negotiate an ending in advance so that you have a chance to wrap up loose ends.

None of us want our costs to be prohibitive and offer discounts to people on a low income. However, we do also work for charities who offer low cost counselling and so a reduced fee won’t always be possible. We will be happy to discuss your situation and do everything we can to continue provide the support you need either helping you find a lower cost option, or reducing our fees for you.

If you have further questions, we would love to hear from you. Please visit our contact page to get in touch.