Andy Gray Counselling – Psychotherapy in Maidstone
What does the Counsellor do?
Careful listening is the largest part of what all ‘good’ counsellors do.
We make sure clients have defined the problem areas in their own terms and help them figure out what they wish to do next.
Some sessions will then be more active, offering suggestions for further ways of investigating or beginning to resolve the problems; others are less intervening and let the work proceed more at the client’s pace.
Will the counsellor give me advice?
I don’t ever give advice of the “I’d do this if I was you” variety since the purpose of counselling is to help you make your own decision.
I will never make a moral decision about the course of action you ought to take. I may sum up what I understand you have been saying so far in order to help you move on and form a plan of action.
I will often offer pointers to how others have successfully dealt with common problems and may also make suggestions of the “have you thought of the following” variety.
These suggestions will be drawn from my training in what is helpful and my experience of what has helped others and of course can be rejected if you feel they are unhelpful.
Confidentiality?
The BACP states that counsellors must offer the highest possible levels of confidentiality in order to respect the client’s privacy and create the trust necessary for counselling. However, in exceptional circumstances, where there are good grounds for believing that serious harm my occur to the client or to other people, and / or where there are good grounds for believing that the client is no longer willing or able to take responsibility for his / her actions, confidentiality may be broken.
How do I know if I need counselling?
Only you can decide whether you wish to try counselling. Just talking to someone confidentially who is not a friend or family member can make all the difference. Counselling provides a regular time for those in distress to explore their feelings and talk about their problems. I can help you develop better ways of coping, allowing you to live the life you deserve.
How do I make an appointment?
Your first step should be to telephone, email or text me to arrange an appointment.
You can phone me on: 07821871221 where you can provide me with a few details as to why you’re considering therapy and I can explain the service more to you. We can then arrange an assessment appointment. Please leave a message if no one is available to answer your call.