FAQs

Counselling is such a unique experience, and one that is hugely impacted by the quality and sense of connection between client and therapist. Counselling is currently not a regulated profession in the UK, meaning that effectively anybody can call themselves a counsellor as it is not a legally protected term. However, an ethical therapist will belong to an ethical membership body such as the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) or the NCS (National Counselling and Psychotherapy Service), will have completed a course with at least 100 hrs face to face placement and have insurance to work with you in a manner which is proficient. Beyond this, you will want to feel at ease with your counsellor and confident that they can work with the issues you choose to bring with you. Some counsellors will offer an introductory session/contact call for you to get to know one another and answer any questions you may have.

Therapists train in all kinds of modalities, much like doctors will acquire certain specialisms and it is important you find the 'right fit' for you. Common approaches and theories you may have heard of include; CBT or cognitive behaviour therapy in full (focussing on the present day and links between thoughts and behaviours), Psychodynamic Theory (focussing on childhood and the past as an influence on present day behaviours), Art Therapy (using creative tools to explore emotions), EMDR or eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (managing trauma with eye movement) and Humanistic Therapy (examining a person's own agency for change and self-direction.)

I, personally work from a person-centred perspective, a particular branch of humanistic therapy, meaning I place you front and centre of your therapy providing the right environment and relationship for you to find your own path forward via techniques such as active listening, empathy, honesty, reflection and open questioning. However, I will on occasion blend other resources and worksheets into my sessions, if I feel it will help deepen your exploration of a specific issue or theme and am trained to work with Russian Dolls, shells and stones, time lines, grounding and body scan techniques and scripts.

Most counsellors will work according to 50 minute or 1 hr appointments. I offer 50 minutes per session, allowing you the extra ten minutes to decompress from the session and myself, a little time to write up notes or process our time together. For specific circumstances, such as ill health, I am able to offer shorter appointments, but please note that the fee will remain the same.

That is entirely up to you and may be hard to foresee at the outset, some people enter therapy for a brief duration for insight into a specific problem, others may engage with therapy for months, or even years depending on the complexity of what they are wanting to work on. Rest assured, that we will continually reflect together on what you feel you are gaining from therapy, what goals you may want to set yourself and where you would like to see yourself in the future. Endings are flexible but it is advisable to give at least two weeks’ notice of a planned closure so we can start to put an exit plan in motion to evaluate what you are taking away from therapy and any next steps.

To provide prioritisation of self and building of trust, I recommend meeting on a weekly or fortnightly basis. However, I am able to, on rare occasions, agree to less frequent sessions if the therapeutic relationship is highly established and the sessions are serving as a more of an ongoing check in after a lengthy period of working with one another.

You will be provided with all my contact details at point of setting up your sessions and in line with the contractual agreement we will agree to, I ask for 24hrs notice of any cancellation via call, text or email. Any cancellations outside of this window will still be fully charged as I will struggle to fill that space with another client at such short notice. If you are experiencing issues attending sessions due to a life change or unforeseeable circumstances, please bring this to session and we will try and reschedule your sessions or find another way forward.

I understand that life is busy and for some, finding the time to travel out to a location to access therapy, may not be convenient or you may experience anxiety leaving the house. Therefore, I have tried to make therapy with Sarah Barfield Counselling as accessible as possible by offering Teams or phone appointments, alongside face-to-face sessions at;

Therapy Station,

5b Church St,

Stoney Stanton,

Leicester,

LE9 4DA

To make the right choice for you, I would recommend considering the privacy you have on your own home as you will require a safe and confidential space in which to speak. It is also worth considering the strength of your internet connection and any distractions or interruptions that are likely to occur.

This is a question I get asked a lot! The 50 minutes in therapy is YOUR time to use as YOU wish, there is no pressure to dive in too deeply until you feel comfortable enough offloading whatever it is that brings you to therapy. I do not come to your session with any level of expectation in terms of what we will speak about as it is more important that I am guided by you. If you are struggling to find the words, we can sit in silence providing some crucial time for reflection and calmness, you can consider what you feel and what you are physically experiencing, or we may be able to use a certain tool or resource to focus in on your situation. However, it is absolutely OK to have some time for you to just sit and simply be. How often do we give this time to ourselves to just slow down and breathe

Therapy is confidential meaning that what you disclose will not be shared with anybody else outside of the therapeutic space. However, there are a few occasions in which I have a duty of care to divulge the information you have given me, and all these exemptions can be found within my privacy and confidentiality statement attached on this website. I would encourage you to look this over before you come onboard. In general, I will only break confidentiality if what you tell me puts you or someone else at risk of immediate danger, if your notes are subpoenaed to court or if you intend to commit a serious crime.

Therapy can be a difficult and emotional process to navigate and expressing this, is completely acceptable and actively encouraged. Please feel free to show up to session as your true and authentic self and if it gets too much, we will explore this in the moment, take a break, complete a grounding exercise and/or find a way forward. You will never be judged in way shape or form.

As the aim of therapy is to build inner resilience and find intendent coping mechanisms, it is highly recommended contact outside of session is kept to a minimum as we would not have the safe and supportive structure of the therapeutic environment. However, if you are wanting to let me know whether you can or can't make a session, please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I am able to within my normal working hours. I am also happy for you to share resources/clips/things you have seen or heard in between appointments in readiness for our next appointment but cannot guarantee I will have chance to look them over before we meet again.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or are in immediate crisis, please seek support from your local GP or the NHS 24 hr helpline on 111. Alternatively, the Samaritans can be contacted via 116 123.

Confidentiality and Privacy Statement - Pre Trial Notice

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