Frequently Asked Question
Below are a number of questions I'm often asked. If you want to know more on any topic, or ask a question not answered below or elsewhere on my website, please get in touch.
How do we start working together?
To start working with me leave me some information about yourself in the Contact section. I will then arrange a FREE 15min call for us to both to understand what you want to bring to therapy and if we are a good fit together. Please be sure to answer the question about if its ok to call you, if you prefer to be contacted via email. Alternatively you can email me on hello@oakpath.co.uk with your information and a telephone number and i will contact you.
​What is Person Centred Therapy and is this the only therapy you offer?​
Person-Centred Therapy, is all about putting you, the client, at the centre of your healing journey. It's a warm and accepting approach where the therapist provides a safe space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings without judgment or direction. Together, we'll work on understanding your experiences, fostering self-discovery, and unlocking your potential for growth and fulfilment. The important thing to consider here is that important topics always surface, no matter where we start. Currently I use this approach, but also as each person is different, I may borrow certain techniques to help, depending on the person. I intend to become and trauma specialist and will be studying EMDR Practitioner Accreditation in the near future and will be using this approach in my work once I'm qualified.
How do I know you are right for me?
Its difficult to know this until we start working together. Every person is different, the important thing is that you feel safe and valued, being able to bring your authentic self to therapy is crucial to being able to get good therapy outcomes. Clients might feel I'm the right fit if they feel a sense of comfort, trust, and understanding during our interactions. They might resonate with my approach, values, and expertise, feeling heard and supported without judgment. Ultimately, it's about finding someone they feel comfortable opening up to and who they believe can help them navigate their challenges and achieve their goals.
How do you work?
If working Long-Term, we will set a day and time and will meet as we have scheduled. We will set our day and time of working together if we are I work either in person in Essex or London, or online via Google Meets. If we are working short term, we can look at how many sessions we might want, (6-12 sessions) and arrange them. Its important to meet regularly and consistently, and to give importance to the work to get the most effect, so we will try and arrange according to what works for us both.
What happens with the material I bring to therapy?
To make sure that my clients feel safe and able to be honest in our sessions, what is discussed in our session remains confidential, unless there is risk of harm to yourself or to others, or if there are legal responsibilities that I have. These tend to be very serious situations, such as Child or Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding, Money Laundering or People-trafficking. Every BACP counsellor also has a supervisor, who they ANONYMOUSLY discuss what their clients might bring, this is so that the counsellors can be sure they are working in the best interest of the client and following the ethical framework. More information about the ethical framework can be found here.
How many sessions do I need?
It depends on what you're looking for. I work medium or long term, so its totally up to you. If you feel that its helping, we can work together for as long as you'd like, conversely if you feel that you've gotten what was needed from therapy, we can pause or draw a close to our sessions. The number of sessions, depends on what it is you want to work on, the complexity of the material being brought and also your mental health at the time of working. I usually like to work weekly to make sure we are able to connect with what is being brought up by our work, and to make sure we are working safely, but we can discuss working less often if that's what you'd like once we have gotten to know each other and know what we are working towards. Sessions are 50mins.