Frequently Asked Questions
For Therapy
What does therapy do?
Psychotherapy and counselling are interchangeable terms, and it exists so that a trained professional can sit with you in a safe environment and discuss any thoughts, feelings, and behaviours you have that you might wish to explore.
Do I need to have clear plans and objectives before I arrive?
Absolutely not. Often, people attend therapy because they feel a little lost, so there is no pressure on you to know exactly why you’re there. All that’s important is that you want to be. We will work the rest out together.
What happens during a therapy session?
We sit in a private room and begin by talking about whatever’s on your mind that day. The session runs for 50-minutes, and there is no pressure to have to turn up knowing what you’ll talk about. You are not there to entertain, but just to be yourself.
How many sessions should I have?
As a rule, ten sessions is a really useful number, but you are under no pressure to attend a minimum amount of sessions. Some people make great progress after around six sessions, and others find that continual sessions helps them feel really balanced in their life, so they continue their therapy indefinitely.
How regularly should I see you?
Most people prefer weekly sessions, especially when we’re getting started, but there is always the option of making them fortnightly or monthly once we’ve established a good way of working together.
What if I attend but decide it’s not for me?
The first one or two sessions will help make a lot of things clear to you, such as how comfortable you are within the space, and also working with me. It’s really important that you connect with your therapist, so if anything doesn’t feel the way you want it, that’s no problem at all.
What qualifications do you have?
I currently have a Level 2 Award in Introduction to Counselling Skills, a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills, a Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies, and a Level 4 CPCAB Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling. I also continue to attend Continual Professional Development courses all year round to ensure I’m aware of, and compliant with, all current training standards in the profession.
Are you a registered therapist?
Yes, I am registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and my membership number is 01029267. It is highly recommended that you only see therapists who are actively registered with a governing body such as this. I also hold practitioners insurance with Holistic Insurance, so everything is in place for us to work together.
How do I get started?
The best thing to do is email me so we can arrange an introductory phone call. We will probably talk somewhere between 10-30 minutes, which will allow me to explain how I work, as well as answer any questions you may have.
For Writing
What do you write?
For over 20-years, I have written books, plays, screenplays, and also scripts and series bibles for original television shows. Recently, I have started writing academic papers for therapeutic research, too.
Do you have a preferred genre?
My favourite genres to write are black comedy/drama, whodunnits, and crime/thrillers. I also have some experience with comedy, and science-fiction is growing on me.
Do you have any work in production?
I’ve always been very proactive with my writing, so at any given time, there tend to be at least one or two projects that have been optioned by a producer or a production company, meaning that my creative projects are always at various stages of production.
Are you available as a writer for hire?
I am always happy to discuss potential collaborations as a writer, whether a producer is looking for an existing script from the slate of work I have available, or if they’re looking to commission something brand new, so don’t hesitate to contact me for an initial discussion.
For Training
What type of training programmes have you run?
For many years, I worked as a business development trainer for MDA Training in London, running simulations for clients such as Deutsche Bank, The Royal Bank of Scotland and Tesco. More recently, I created my own oracy programmes that I ran in the education sector throughout the UK and Europe.
What does “oracy” mean?
The term “oracy” refers to all communication skills, including reading, writing, listening, observation, public speaking, and even body language. This makes oracy programmes ideal for English, Drama, Dramatherapy, and many other training settings.
Are your training programmes available to purchase?
Yes. Although it’s not essential, the most ideal method is to hire me to run a programme for you in the first instance and then, once you’ve experienced it, license the materials should you wish to run the programmes on your own in the future. However, you could go straight to licensing if you prefer. Feel free to contact me for further information, or to ask any questions.
