Frequently Asked Questions
Most people have a few practical questions before they book their first therapy session and I’ve put the common ones here.
If yours isn’t covered, or you’d rather ask me directly, get in touch.
Last reviewed 04/11/2026
-
Start with a free 15-minute consultation. You can schedule it using the booking calendar.
It’s a short call to see whether we might work well together, and there’s no obligation to continue afterwards. -
We talk for about fifteen minutes. I’ll ask what’s brought you here and what you’re hoping for, and you can ask me anything about how I work. If I think someone else would suit you better, I’ll say so and, where I can, point you towards them.
-
That’s quite common, plenty of people arrive not entirely sure what to call their issues, and that’s absolutely fine. I’ll ask some questions, and you can tell me in your own words what’s been bothering you.
-
It depends on what you’re bringing to therapy and what you want from it. Some people come for a few months to work through something specific. Others stay longer because the work keeps opening up. We’ll review how it’s going together every so often, so we’re both clear on where you are.
Getting started
-
My main areas are trauma (including complex trauma), ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence in adults, and recovery from addiction. I also work with anxiety, burnout, low mood, life transitions and relationship difficulties. These often overlap, so you don’t need to fit neatly into one category to come and talk.
-
No. I work one to one with adults (over 16 years old) only.
-
No. Counselling isn’t a diagnostic service. If you’re wondering whether you might be neurodivergent, I’m happy to talk that through with you, and I can explain what an assessment involves.
I work with people who are diagnosed, people waiting for assessment, and people who suspect neurodivergence but haven’t pursued a diagnosis.
Who I work with
-
My work is relational, which means the relationship between us matters as much as any technique. I draw mainly on person-centred and psychodynamic ideas, which help build a safe base and make sense of patterns that keep repeating. Depending on the person, I might also bring in elements of CBT, DBT, ACT, Gestalt, Transactional Analysis or Internal Family Systems. I’ll explain anything I suggest before we try it.
-
No. I won’t give you instructions about your life, though I will sometimes offer an observation, a suggestion or an honest question. Decisions stay with you.
-
No. We’ll go at a pace your mind and your nervous system can manage. Part of trauma-informed work is making sure you feel steady enough before we go anywhere difficult, and we can always step back.
-
It’s a written agreement between us that sets out how we’ll work together, including session length, fees, cancellations, confidentiality and how I look after your information. Counselling goes better when both of us know where we stand, so nothing about the basics is left to guesswork or assumed. Signing it doesn’t commit you to a set number of sessions, and you can end therapy whenever you choose. I’ll send it once you’ve booked, and we sign it digitally before our first full session. There’s nothing to sign for the free consultation.
How I work
-
At New Road Psychotherapy Centre, which has rooms in Hove and central Brighton. When you book, we’ll agree which one suits you better.
-
Sessions last 50 minutes and most people come weekly, which gives the work some continuity. Fortnightly can work later on, once things feel steadier.
Sessions and location
-
We meet by video at the same time each week, much as we would in person. Once you’ve booked a session, I’ll send you a private link and you simply click it at the start of your session. Sessions run on Google Meet or Zoom, whichever you find easier. On a laptop you can join from your browser, and on a phone or tablet you may be asked to install the app.
-
A private space where you won’t be interrupted, a reasonably stable internet connection, and a laptop, tablet or phone. A laptop or tablet tends to work better than a phone because you can see me more clearly. Headphones help to keep our converstion more private if you share your home with other people. It’s also worth having a glass of water nearby and a few minutes afterwards before you go back to anything else.
-
It happens occasionally. I’ll try to rejoin straight away, and if that doesn’t work we can switch to a phone call so the session carries on. If we lose a significant chunk of time to technical problems, I’ll sort it out with you fairly.
-
For many people, yes. Some find it easier to talk from somewhere familiar, and it removes the travel. Others find they prefer a room with another person in it. You can start online and move to in-person, or the other way round, if you’re Brighton-based.
-
Yes, I see clients joining sessions from anywhere in the world. My practice follows UK clinical standards and regulations wherever you’re based, and you’ll agree to that when we sign the therapeutic contract. If you’re abroad, I can’t help with local emergency services in your country, so it’s sensible to know your own crisis numbers before we start.
Online therapy
-
Sessions are £55 and last 50 minutes. The initial 15-minute consultation is free.
-
You can pay by bank transfer, or I can send you a payment link, which many people find easier. Payment is due 48 hours before your session starts. If you’d prefer to pay monthly rather than session by session, I can offer a monthly retainer arrangement, so just ask.
-
I ask for 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or rearrange. The full details are in my terms and conditions. If something unexpected comes up, just message me and we’ll sort it out.
Fees, payment and cancellations
-
Yes, with a small number of limits. I’m a registered member of the BACP and follow its ethical framework, which means I’d only need to share something without your agreement if there were a serious risk to your life or someone else’s, or if the law required it. We’ll go through this together at the start and it’s written into the therapeutic contract.
-
No, with the exception for supervision. I take my work to clinical supervision, which is a requirement for all counsellors. However, details that could identify you are never shared there.
-
I follow UK GDPR. Notes and records are stored securely, and my privacy policy explains what I keep, how long I keep it and how you can ask to see it.
Confidentiality and privacy
Polish-language therapy
(Terapia po polsku)
-
Yes. I’m a bilingual Polish and English speaker and I offer sessions in Polish, in person in Brighton and Hove or online. Many people find it easier to describe feelings in the language they grew up in, even if their English is excellent. You’re welcome to move between the two languages during a session.
-
Yes, it’s the same practice and the same standards, only in a different language. Read more on the Terapia po polsku page.
