Firstly, if you’re considering therapy, welcome to the club.

People use therapy for a multitude of reasons, such as processing a big life event, dealing with trauma, trying to make sense of the past, or looking for a place they can just speak aloud without being judged. The ways that talking therapy can be embraced by people are wide and varied.

The consultation call is useful because, from your side, you’ll be able to ask any questions you might have. No question is too small, so I’d encourage you to write down anything you’re curious about to make sure we cover it.

From the therapist’s perspective, the call is an opportunity to describe how they work, to make sure it fits with you, and to put you at ease by answering your questions. They might ask if there is anything specific you’re looking to cover, just to help gauge where the work is likely to go. However, if you aren’t ready to go into these details on the call, you don’t have to.

Probably the most useful thing that comes from the consultation is that you’ll get a feel for the therapist themselves. You’ll know whether you feel comfortable with them, and whether you’ll find them easy to talk to. These are important details because you’ll need to feel safe and secure with them in order to work well together. You are under no obligation to book a session with the therapist if you don’t feel a strong connection, and there will be absolutely no hard feelings about that.

If, however, you are feeling comfortable, then it would be a good idea to discuss your schedule to outline what days and times work best for you. If your availability works for the therapist, you can book your first session, so make sure you have your diary to hand.

You should never be under any pressure to block-book sessions, as most therapists are happy to lock in one session at a time. As a rule, one session per week works well at the beginning, and the number of sessions can be discussed openly with a large degree of flexibility. Ten sessions works well for many people, but again, you should never be asked to commit to a specific number. Some people end up feeling like they’ve got what they need much sooner, and others attend therapy on an ongoing basis, sometimes switching to fortnightly or monthly sessions further down the line. There are no hard rules on this, and the decision will always be led by you.

I hope this has been a useful summary of what to expect on your consultation call. I am always happy to hold these calls on the phone, or even set up a video call if you prefer.

For a free consultation call, which usually lasts around 20-30 minutes, feel free to contact me whenever you wish to see if we’re a good match.