Curlew Counselling - Counselling in
Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham
Clare Finn
Frequently Asked Questions
"When life feels heavy, reaching out can be the beginning of feeling lighter.”
FAQs
What is counselling?
Many people have their own ideas about what counselling is and what happens in counselling sessions. It is not about advice-giving but about effective and supportive listening and gentle exploration of the presenting issues in your life. My belief is that you know yourself best, and you have the answers. I am the tool that will help you find this. In a nutshell,
• Counselling is a journey of self-discovery. At times, it may feel challenging or emotional, but it can also be deeply empowering, clarifying and life-changing. It helps you understand yourself more fully, recognise your strengths, and begin to shape the life you want.
• Counselling provides a safe and confidential space for you to talk about life, relationships, problems and worrying or difficult thoughts and feelings, with a trained professional who is interested in understanding, supporting and helping you.
• Counselling is used to help and support you with a wide range of issues and problems you may be experiencing, such as stress, anxiety, grief and depression.
• It is very much a journey of self-discovery and understanding, and though the process can be difficult and painful, on the other hand, it can be very exciting, beneficial, self-empowering and life-changing.
What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
There is a lot of overlap and a lot of confusion! Both aim to support you with your mental health and offer talking therapy. They look to support you in your journey of working things out for yourself.
Counsellors have undergone a minimum of 3 years of training and meet the national requirements with an accredited UK professional body such as the NCPS, BACP and UKCP, which are overseen by the Professional Standards Authority. Likewise, psychotherapists have undergone much training too and generally for longer.
We explore what the presenting issues are in your life and help you explore your thoughts and feelings around this, which are often causing distress and misalignment in your life. Counselling tends to focus on the more immediate and present issues and possibly look to a solution-focussed approach depending on what the need is. Counselling can take just a few sessions to help you find some peace and understanding, whereas psychotherapy tends to be longer-term (months) and looks to the past and how this is impacting on the present and future you.
You may find it useful to read this article, Counsellor vs Psychotherapist vs Psychologist: The Difference | WhatCounsellor
Whoever you choose, please check that they have the appropriate accredited membership with one of the professional bodies. These can easily be checked on the website directory of the professional body they are registered with. Here is mine! Clare Finn
What do you mean by ‘the therapeutic relationship’?
This is the relationship between me and you within the safe space of the therapy room. The development of the therapeutic relationship between the counsellor and client is very important and enhances your feeling of safety and trust. With this, it enables you, the client, to find your own solutions and a way through your present difficulties through self-exploration, and to develop techniques and strategies to support yourself now and in the future. You can rest assured that in the time we have together, I will demonstrate the following:
• Empathy: my willingness to see your problem or issue through your eyes, not mine
• Non-judgemental: I will accept you without making any judgements or assumptions
• Honesty: I will aim to be as real and as honest with you as I can.
What if I get to the session and I don’t know what to say or where to start?
It is totally normal to feel anxious, unsure, nervous, and all the rest you may be feeling. Don’t worry, I will help you talk when you are ready. I have a warm and friendly manner and help put people at ease. When you are ready, we will gently work through what you want to share. The important thing is that you are here. You have taken the most important step in seeking help and support for yourself.
What if I find that counselling in not for me or we are not connecting as client and counsellor?
As always, talking through these thoughts and feelings is crucial. I usually find by session 3 that my clients know and trust me enough and relax better, knowing the session format, knowing me, and get the vibe that they have made the right decision.
However, if you wish to stop counselling, I do like to ensure you have support in place, so a conversation is much appreciated. Your welfare is at the heart of this. If you feel you are not connecting with me, that is fine too and I will not be offended, and I promise I will not cross-examine you! I see it like finding the doctor you feel most comfortable with, or the driving instructor you know you can make mistakes with. The therapeutic relationship is essential. I want you to have the right person for you so that I can try and guide you to find the right person if you would like.
Likewise, I may feel that I cannot give you what you need, and this is part of my ethical commitment to you. If I do not have the area of expertise or competence you need, I will let you know, and we can explore what is best for you.
What is your cancellation policy?
Life happens, and plans need to change. Below you will find a clear guideline on cancellations. This ensures you are consistently and reliably supported and the therapeutic space protected at Curlew Counselling.
• Cancellations with more than 48 hours' notice – no fees charged, and we will reschedule the appointment if you wish. This helps me offer the space to someone else who may be waiting.
• Cancellations with less than 48 hours' notice – full fees will be charged.
• Illness and emergencies - unexpected events happen. Please contact me as soon as possible, and we will discuss the best way forward.
• Repeated cancellations - in the first instance, we will review whether dates and timings are appropriate for you and amend accordingly.
• If I have to cancel – I will, of course, give you as much notice as possible and reschedule your session. No fees will be charged.
• Holidays – please give me as much notice of planned holidays so that I can offer your usual appointment slot to another client. I will also give you plenty of notice of my planned holidays.
Is what I say confidential?
The therapy room is your safe space. What you share with me in the session will be treated with confidentiality, which means it will not be repeated to anyone. Only in exceptional cases will anything we discuss be taken outside of the room. As I have a duty of care for you and your safety, and of others, if I feel you were in danger of being hurt or hurting yourself or anyone else, then this, for example, would be classed as an exceptional circumstance.
What and who I share information with will depend on what you tell me, but I will aim to tell you first and involve you in the process.
My child has been referred to CAMHS and is on the waiting list. Can they still have counselling?
If you have had a CAMHS referral, help is on its way. The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service is specialised support from a range of professionals, including clinical and educational psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health support professionals such as counsellors like myself. However, waiting times can vary. If you would like your child to have support in the interim, I am more than happy to help. However, once you have a first CAMHS session organised, we will look to bring the counselling sessions to a planned end as it is not beneficial for your child to have two different therapists or counsellors.
If your child is in crisis and you are concerned for their well-being, please see the contacts on the Crisis page.
What if we bump into each other outside of the therapy room?
This may happen if we live and/or work in the same locality. We will discuss this in our first session. I will respect your privacy and not show recognition or acknowledge you if this is what you prefer. However, what I can guarantee is that confidentiality remains in this sphere too if we did get chatting, and at no point is any reference made to your involvement in counselling. I remove the ‘counselling hat’ when I am not working, and I am ‘just Clare’ whilst shopping, walking dogs, and all the rest of daily life!
How is my privacy protected and GDPR upheld?
At Curlew Counselling, your privacy is treated with the highest care.
Please click the link below to read details.
Curlew Counselling
A Journey of Personal Growth & Healing
