Fees
How sessions work:
Sessions are held either on an online platform/ telephone from the comfort of your home. If you live near me I hold sessions in my garden office in Congresbury, North Somerset. This is easily accessible from Weston-super-mare, Bristol, Clevedon and Cheddar. You could also do a mixture of face to face and online.
Fees are £65 for a 50 minute psychotherapy and counselling session. If you are in receipt of carers allowance or disability related benefits then I offer a reduced fee of £50 for 50 minutes. Individual concessions may be considered on an individual basis to support the cost of therapy.
I understand that life as a parent carer is rarely predictable so I work flexibly, please talk to me about your circumstances and how I can best support you.
I only work with people over 18 years of age and for individual psychotherapy.
Where to start?
I know how daunting it can be first reaching out, so I hope to make this as straightforward and welcoming as possible
Step 1: Reach out
Reach out to me today via an email or the contact form below. I will get back to you as soon as I can with my availability and to arrange an initial free chat.
I always respond to messages so if you don't hear back from me, please check your spam box.
Step 2: Free 15 minute phone/ online call
This call is a time for you to tell me briefly what is bringing you to therapy.
I will talk you through how I work as a therapist and offer you the chance to ask any questions.
You will be able to get a feel for working with me and decide if you would like to begin therapy together. If you would, I will send you an email with my therapy contract which will tell you more about the sessions.
If I'm not the right therapist for you, I will try and point you in the direction of resources or someone who might be able to support you.
Step 3: Beginning therapy
We will meet either online or face to face for 50 minute sessions at a convenient time.
Sessions are confidential and tailored to your needs and goals. During the first session we will start exploring what the challenges you are experiencing are and what you would like to change or focus on in therapy.
Sessions are open ended or time limited. We will review the sessions regularly (usually every 6 sessions). You can finish therapy whenever you choose.
FAQ
What do you mean by parent carer? You may think of yourself as a parent first, but if you need to give your child (including adult children) any additional support due to having a complex medical condition, being disabled, having a mental health condition or being neurodivergent then you could be considered a parent carer. You may not use this term and that's ok too. Language is important, many of us have had people use insensitive language in relation to our children so please let me know what feels right for you.
For some, it can come as a huge shock their child has a disability or medical condition and may take some time to make sense of this diagnosis. For others they may never receive a diagnosis or challenges can become more evident as their children develop. Parent carers are hugely diverse but also can be quite invisible in society. You may want support at any point in the journey from finding out your new born has a medical condition, to having school age children (I welcome home schooling parents too), to having an adult child who continues to need your care.
Many parents who have a child with additional needs deeply care and love their children. They are doing their absolute best with the resources they have but are exhausted, overwhelmed and stuck in cycles of feeling guilty, anxious and self-critical. They may be really struggling with all the feelings that come up with having a child who has additional needs. It can be difficult to voice some of these thoughts and feelings, so I aim to make sessions as safe and non-judgemental as possible.
Do you only work with parent carers? No, I also work with parents or other carers who don't have a child with additional needs. If for some reason you feel drawn to working with me then please get in touch.
Can I contact you between sessions if I'm having a mental health crisis? I'm not a crisis service so if you need urgent support outside of sessions then I recommend you contact NHS Direct 111, your GP or the Samaritans 116123.
Are the sessions confidential? Yes, the sessions are private and confidential. I am in a private room where we cannot be overheard. There are a couple of exceptions to confidentiality: Like all therapists, I discuss my work (without any identifiable details) with my supervisor so I can provide you with the best support. I also have a duty of care if I believe you or someone else is at serious risk of harm. Wherever possible I discuss this with clients first. I will provide more details about this if we start working together.
How many sessions will I need? This completely depends on your goals and unique situation. You may be looking for a one off psychotherapeutic conversation or be hoping for some longer term work to support you with whatever you want to bring. We will regularly review your therapy.
Hopefully that's answered most of your questions. If you have any further questions or would like to get in touch to book a 15 minute call then I'd love to hear from you.