If you have never had counselling it can be difficult to know what to expect within the sessions. No matter what type of counselling you have chosen there a few things that will be standard to the process within the session. There are 3 main stages within a counselling session.
Beginning
Either in the first session or before the session the counsellor will agree a contract with you.
This contract will cover:
Time and day of sessions
Duration of the session (usually 50 or 60 minutes)
How many sessions are available (if your counselling is provided by the NHS, employee assistance programme, charity, or insurance company)
What approach the counsellor uses (e.g. CBT, EMDR, person-centred)
Fee (if a paid service or private)
How long your notes will be kept for, who can see them, and how they will be disposed of
Complaints procedure
Confidentiality
The confidentiality will be the same as that which you have with your GP. The exceptions to confidentiality would be:
Harm to self and/or to others
Acts of terrorism
Child protection issues
Once the contracting is complete the counsellor will focus on if there are any remaining questions you have about the counselling process and your expectations for the sessions. They may use some questionnaires to get an idea of how the issues are currently affecting you. The counsellor would also check if there is any risk present for you, like suicidal thoughts or self-harm. If this session is not the first session the beginning of the session would be focused on if there has been anything new that has come up for you since the last session or if there has been any shift in the way you are feeling. If there was any risk expressed in the first session the counsellor would check in if there has been any increase or decrease in this since the last session.
Middle
The main part of the session will focus on you bringing any feelings, thoughts or issues that you want to explore. This is the part of the session which is focused on your issues and is a space to talk about what is happening for you. The counsellor will support you exploring what you feel is relevant. The counsellor may question the feelings or thoughts you are having to gain more clarity on what you are experiencing. The counsellor may offer suggestions of different ways of looking at issues or explore with your options and resources you have for dealing with the specific issues you are dealing with. This section is a in-depth exploration of what is going on for you.
Ending
At the end of the session, the counsellor will recap what has been discussed within the session and any decisions/strategies that you have chosen. At this point you can decide what you would like the focus of the next session to be. The next session time and day would be agreed. If this was the first session you will decide if you feel that sessions will be beneficial for you, and if you would like to continue with them. There is no obligation to continue with sessions if you do not feel that you and the counsellor are not a good fit for each other. It is important that you feel the professional relationship is right for you. If this is the ending of counselling your counsellor would check on how you are feeling about ending sessions. Ideally you should allow one session for discussing the ending of sessions. This is to allow you to be supported with the ending of sessions, this can be especially important if you have experienced unfinished endings in other situations.
For more information contact me at info@forcounselling.co.uk
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