What Can A Client Expect In Their Sessions?
Counselling jouneys are different for everyone, but below are some common stages in a counselling journey.

Stage 0: Deciding to engage with Therapy
The very firest step is deciding to engage with therapy. It is really important that a client look to their needs, what their goals are for therapy, and what their expectations are. Often, clients seek therapy from a place of knowing something is wrong and wanting to fix it. This is a completely understandable place, and I would advise to take some time to explore what your needs are from a therapist. Decide if you would benefit from in-person or virtual; seek out multiple counsellors to have a consultation with; and choose the counsellor who will be a right fit for. You have the freedom and responsibility to choose a counsellor who you are comfortable with.

Stage 1: Consultation and Intake
Once you have booked a consultation with a counsellor (or several!), what comes next? A consult is a quick, twenty minute call so we can briefly get to know each other and discuss your aims with therapy. I always suggest clients come prepared with questions so you can get a sense of what this counsellor will be like to work with. Ask anything you need to make an informed decision for yourself. If you choose to work with me, we will have a single intake session where I can gain a larger sense of who you are and the direction we might be going.

Stage 1: The Getting to Know You Stage
In stage 2, this is the time a client and counsellor get to know one another. These sessions involve initially unpacking the circumstances which brought you to doing work, and building rapport.

Stage 3: Regular Sessions
These are the bulk of our sessions. These sessions are client directed, where modalities are introduced as appropriate, and where homework may be given. It is in these sessions the gentle challenges will be posed, and the deep work will take place. At intervals, we may take some time to reflect back on original goals and progress made.

Stage 4: Closing Down
Closing is as important as openings, and I usually include a small ritual of closing to end our therapeutic relationship. A closing session is a good time to look back over the work and put any growth into perspective.

Stage 5: Subsequent Follow Ups
My door is always open for clients to return to do follow up sessions. Sometimes a client might like to work on a particular pattern they see, or might like to have an update session as a checkup. These sessions can either be singular or a few sessions. Sometimes this can lead to a renewed cycle of prolonged work. Just because we close down does not mean my door is closed.

Stage 6: Ending
If a client has decided to end therapy and move on to working with another therapist, I will maintain records of our sessions for up to three years after contact. After three years, I will either destroy records or maintain only bare minimum of information.

FAQs

How long does counselling take?
The length of time client engages with counselling varies from client to client, and depending upon presenting need. In my experience most of my clients have gained powerful insights between ten and twenty sessions. The frequency of sessions per month depends on the client, but generally I will see clients one a week or twice a month when starting out.