Starting counselling can feel like a big step - but rest assured, you are not alone in seeking help.

Recent ONS well-being data showed that almost 25% of UK adults showed some evidence of depression or anxiety. A 2025 NHS survey reported almost 1 in 4 working age adults in England experience a common mental health condition and that more than 670,000 people had counselling (talking therapies) through the NHS.

It is natural to have questions before you start - I have set up a FAQ (frequently asked questions) page which will hopefully help you make the first step into counselling. If you have any other questions please feel free to email me.

What can counselling help with? If you are experiencing low mood, anxiety, stress, feelings of overwhelm or sadness for whatever reason, counselling offers a safe, confidential non judgemental space to explore and offload your concerns. You can talk to me about your feelings, worries, thoughts and patterns of behaviour knowing you have the support of a trained and qualified professional therapist.

Counselling recognises that everyone has their own individual life story. You will know best how to navigate your experience. I will work alongside you to help you find your own way forward, encouraging and respecting your autonomy.

This may be navigating a path to change, to acceptance or working on developing coping strategies and understanding yourself and others.

What does an initial contact session involve? Typically we will explore how you are currently feeling and what has brought you to counselling. We can talk about how you want to feel and what you want to achieve through counselling. There is no expectation that you will arrive knowing this - we can work all of this out together.

Following the initial assessment, if you wish to proceed, we agree on a regular 50 minute appointment, usually weekly, either on line or in person. What we talk about each session is led by you, and we agree a plan of how we will work together. I will listen and reflect without judgement. I encourage you to be open and honest with me about your feelings and what is going on for you.

How do you work? I work alongside you to talk through what is going on for you and how you want to navigate your feelings and experiences.

I offer you time and space to explore at your own pace in a way that feels safe and supported for you.

How do I know that you are qualified to work with me? I am MBACP Qualified which means that I work in a safe, ethical and confidential way. My practice is informed by the ethical framework of the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy), the recognised professional body supporting counsellors and psychotherapists. As a member I am committed to sustaining and advancing good practice. As part of this commitment I work alongside a supervisor and engage in continued professional development so that you can be sure that you are always receiving the best standards and most up to date treatment methods from me.

How long will I be in therapy? How long we work together is led by you. There is no minimum on the amount of sessions you attend.

How will I know if counselling is working for me? Counselling isn’t a quick fix, or a cure, but offers you the way to make sense of what is going on for you. Some of my clients describe feeling ‘lighter’ or ‘calmer’, more able to cope and see a way forward, but everyone experiences counselling in their own unique way.

It is important to know that you can sometimes feel a bit ‘disoriented’ at the start of your counselling, as you explore feelings that perhaps you have been struggling to recognise.

I encourage honest and open feedback and you can tell me if something isn’t working for you. We review how you are feeling every few weeks.

What do first steps look like? If you are thinking that this might be the time to give some time over to exploring your feelings and emotions, please feel free to contact me to set up an initial, free of charge, consultation. Its a simple as that - just reaching out to make that first point of contact can start your counselling.

Where can I see you? I work out of my room on Lewes High Street or via secure online connection.