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Frequently Asked Questions about Counselling
1. What is meant by client confidentiality?
When you speak to your counsellor, what you tell them is held as confidential; in other words the counsellor is not permitted to disclose any details about what is discussed in the counselling session. This includes not divulging your name and your appointment times to anyone, including friends and family (unless you give permission.) Any notes and information are kept under lock and key with contact details kept separate from session notes. I am also registered with data protection.
There are some limits to confidentiality though- counsellors will take work to supervision. This is a confidential process where the role of the counsellor’s supervisor is to ensure your counselling is going well.
Your counsellor can break confidentiality if he/she has good reason to think you might harm yourself or others, and they are also required to break confidentiality if there is a child protection issue and if you report or commit a crime.
At Amaranth Counselling, if confidentiality was to be broken it would be in these very rare circumstances and you would be informed by the counsellor about what was going to happen.
2. What can I expect at the initial interview?
The initial interview is really a short interview where you and the counsellor meet to see if counselling is the best route for you. The counsellor will explain confidentiality and also find out about the main reasons you have come to counselling. There may be some information required about family circumstances. You also have the chance to ask questions of your counsellor, and if you have any concerns or worries about the process, feel free to ask.
At Amaranth Counselling it is my aim to make you feel comfortable and relaxed and I am happy to answer questions about my qualifications and experience.
3. How long might I be expected to attend counselling?
This is a tricky one because I could say “how long is a piece of string”; it depends on the issue and the client. There is research that suggests that 50% of clients achieve significant relief of symptoms after 10 to 20 sessions. I normally ask people to commit for 6 sessions and then review to see if they are making progress and extend to 10 or more weeks. A weekly commitment is best, as it allows a good foundation to be laid for the work.
4. What should I look for in a counsellor?
The single biggest contributing factor to successful counselling is the relationship between the client and counsellor. Find a counsellor with whom you feel safe and relaxed, someone that you feel you can open up to and that you can trust. Needless to say, establishing this relationship takes a bit of time, hence the reason I ask clients to commit to 6 sessions.
At Amaranth Counselling, I aim to provide a safe, welcoming environment that will help you experience counselling as something positive. If however, you do not feel that has been achieved, please let me know, I would hope that you would not dismiss counselling as a waste of time but rather seek out a counsellor who suits you.
Most counsellors will hold a diploma in counselling and should be a member of a professional body (in the UK this would be BACP, UKCP or COSCA) and subscribe to a Code of Ethics and Professional Practice. Counsellors have regular supervision for their work and should be happy to answer questions about their qualifications. My qualifications are listed on this website.
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