Considering Therapy?

Starting therapy can feel like a big step, especially if you’ve never done it before.

The first session is simply a chance for us to meet. We’ll spend some time talking about what’s brought you here, what feels important to you, and what you’re hoping therapy might offer.

As well as being an opportunity for you to ask me any questions you might have to get a sense of whether I feel like the right fit for you.

Absolutely. Most of us feel nervous before our first therapy session. Taking the first step can feel daunting, especially if you've been carrying a lot on your own for quite some time.

You needn't prepare anything beforehand, and please don’t worry about saying the "right" thing! We'll just start wherever feels right for you.

My role is to create a space where you can feel safe enough to talk about whatever has brought you into therapy, and from there I'll gently guide you through the process.

Absolutely! It's one of the most common reasons people come to my practice.

As someone approaching the end of my twenties, I know this stage of life brings such a mix of uncertainty, pressure and possibility. Whether it's concerning your relationships, work, identity, family expectations, or wondering if you're where you "should" be in life… it's easy to feel as though everyone else has it all figured out.

Truthfully, you're certainly not alone. Many people carry these thoughts quietly, often believing they're the only one who feels this way. If you choose to begin therapy, I'll be there to walk alongside you.

Therapy will offer you a space to pause, reflect and make sense of these thoughts and questions without feeling as though you need to have all the answers. Sometimes, understanding yourself a little more clearly is the very thing that helps everything else begin to feel more manageable.

It's such an important question, and one I completely understand because I've been there!

Finding the right therapist really does matter. The relationship between therapist and client is one of the strongest predictors of positive change in therapy, which is why feeling comfortable, understood and accepted as you are is so important.

Although trust and connection naturally develops over time, it can be helpful to notice your initial sense after the first session. Did you feel heard? Comfortable? Understood? Can you imagine yourself returning and continuing the conversation?

There is never any expectation or obligation to continue if the sessions just aren’t sitting well with you. My hope is just that, whether it's with me or someone else, you find a therapist who feels the most right fit for you.

Not at all. Please don't feel like you need to wait until you're in crisis to benefit from therapy.

Sometimes people reach out because they're feeling anxious, low or stuck. Others because they want to understand themselves more deeply, improve their relationships, navigate a life transition, or make sense of thoughts and feelings that have become difficult to carry on their own.

Therapy isn't only for life's hardest moments. It can also be a space to pause, reflect, reconnect with yourself, and gain a deeper understanding of who you are. If something has been weighing on you, even if you can't quite put it into words, you're welcome to bring it to therapy. We'll work through it together.

No, you don't need a diagnosis.

Many people I work with have never received a diagnosis and aren't looking for one. Therapy isn't about whether you have a label or diagnosis; it's just about understanding you as a whole person. Together, we'll explore your experiences, relationships, thoughts and emotions to make sense of what you're going through.

Saying that, if you do have a diagnosis, we can absolutely work with alongside it. It may help us understand some of your experiences, but it won’t define who you are or the way I see you.

That's completely okay, and it's something I hear more often than you might imagine.

Sometimes there is a clear reason for coming to therapy, and other times it can be harder to put into words. You may be noticing that you don't quite feel like yourself, things feel heavier than they used to, or that something has shifted without knowing exactly why.

You don't need to start with an explanation. We'll begin with what you do know and gently make sense of it together.

There's no rush. We'll take our time, allowing the process to unfold naturally as clarity and understanding begin to emerge. Therapy is a process, and we'll make sense of it together.

There’s no set length for therapy, as everyone’s journey is different.

Some people come with a specific difficulty they’d like support with and find that a shorter period of therapy works well for them. Others choose to stay for longer, giving themselves more time to explore long-standing patterns, deepen their self-understanding, and create lasting change.

There’s no expectation to know this from the beginning. We’ll regularly check in together about how therapy is feeling and what feels most helpful for you.

Whether our work is brief or longer-term, we’ll move at a pace that feels right for you and decide together what feels most supportive.

Therapy offers support in a different way. It provides a confidential, consistent and non-judgemental space where you don't have to worry about taking care of someone else's feelings, being a burden, or hearing what you "should" do from their perspective.

This space is entirely yours. Together, we'll explore whatever you're experiencing with curiosity and compassion, helping you understand yourself more deeply and make sense of what may be feeling difficult or uncertain.

Over time, therapy can help you recognise patterns that may have been shaping your thoughts, feelings and relationships for many years, allowing you to relate to yourself with greater understanding and discover new ways of moving forward that feel right for you.

It's a question I'm asked quite a lot.

There will be times when I share observations, ask thoughtful questions, offer a different perspective, or provide gentle guidance. I care deeply about the people I work with, and my role is always to support you with your best interests at heart. At the same time, my role isn't to tell you what decisions to make or how I think you should live your life.

Instead, we'll work together to help you better understand yourself, your experiences, relationships and patterns. Over time, this deeper understanding can help you develop the clarity and confidence to trust your own judgement and make decisions that feel right for you.

Absolutely.

Confidentiality is a really important part of therapy and helps create a space where you can speak openly, honestly and without judgement.

As part of my professional practice, I attend regular clinical supervision. This is a confidential space for therapists to reflect on their work and ensure they’re offering the best possible support. Any discussions are fully anonymised, so your identity and personal details remain confidential.

There are also a small number of legal and ethical exceptions, such as concerns about serious risk of harm. I’ll always talk these through with you before we begin working together, so you know how confidentiality works.

I handle all personal information with care and in line with data protection law. I am fully GDPR compliant, which means your data is stored securely for the purpose of providing therapy. You will receive more detail about confidentiality and data protection when we begin working together.