Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is counselling?
Counselling allows a person to discuss issues that may be causing pain, depression, anxiety or generally low mood by providing a regular space for you to talk about and explore your feelings. It requires commitment to attend counselling for a number of sessions as it may take time before a difference can be seen.
2. What can I expect from my first session?
Your first initial appointment will be with one of our highly trained counsellors so you can ask any questions you have about counselling and they will do their best to answer these and put you at ease. Our services will be fully explained at this point and how we operate. You will then be assigned a counsellor that will be suitable for you. On your first session with your counsellor, you and your counsellor will sign a contract between the two of you explaining confidentiality and then your session will begin. But don't worry if you don't know how to start, your counsellor will be there to help with this.
3. Is Counselling in the Community right for me?
If you are struggling to access mainstream counselling services or affordability is a problem then maybe we can help. We offer a warm, safe and confidential environment where you can come and talk about your thoughts and feelings, and with our help explore these, improving self-worth and how you view things.
4. How long is a session?
Our sessions at Counselling in the Community are based on a therapeutic hour. This means that a session is 50 minutes long.
5. Is counselling confidential?
Counselling is confidential, and Counselling in the Community takes confidentiality very seriously. There are times that this confidentiality may have to be broken, these will be outlined and discussed before counselling begins so that you are fully aware of these boundaries.
6. Will my counsellor be fully qualified?
We do have both qualified and placement counsellors. To become a qualified counsellor the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) insist that student counsellors obtain 100 hours of clinical experience toward the end of their training. This is only after they are declared fit to practice. They will have had to pass a number of assessments before being allowed to counsel members of the public. They are fully insured, DBS checked and student members of the BACP. You have a right to refuse to be counselled by a trainee, this will not affect you being able to use our service, it may cause you being on the waiting list a little bit longer.
