WHAT TO EXPECT
IN COUNSELLING
​The counselling process may not always be pleasant; it can be difficult and sometimes upsetting. Painful memories, frustrations or feelings might surface. This is a normal part of the healing journey.
As a psychologist, I do not make decisions for you. Only you can know what is best for you. I know this is challenging because sometimes we want others to sort out our problems and make them go away. However, we cannot grow if we approach things this way. My role is to explore the possibilities with you and to develop new strategies that work best for you and your situation.
First Session
Before our first session, I’ll send you an invitation to my secure client portal along with a number of important documents to review and complete.
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When we meet, we will review the paperwork (quite boring), and will discuss why you are here in more detail. Because I want to have a good sense of who you are, and what’s going on for you, I will ask several questions about your mental health history, personal and/or relationship history, family background and symptoms. This will help me choose interventions that match your needs and circumstances. We will also discuss what your hopes and goals are with me.
The first session is an important time to establish a mutual connection between us. Do you feel comfortable, heard, and respected? Are we on the same page? It is essential to have a therapeutic fit for the process to be successful. You will have the opportunity to see how I work and whether I’m a good fit for you. I will also be able to carefully consider if my skills and expertise will help get you where you want to go. Then we’ll check in about how things felt and what makes sense moving forward. If we decide that I am not the right person for you, for whatever reason, I’ll try to help you find someone else.You are encouraged to come to your first session with realistic expectations. Keep in mind that counselling is a process rather than a quick fix for the issues you’re facing.
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Subsequent Sessions
The second session is to further define the goals and direction of our work. I invite you to tell me about any changes or events that happened in between sessions and then we will decide how I can best support you for our time together.
I trust that you know what will work best for you in terms of frequency of sessions and can happily share my recommendations for us to create momentum. You will have access to my online booking system and can choose to book when it works well for you.
Baby Friendly
You are welcome to bring your baby to the sessions and breastfeed, bottle-feed, bounce, change diapers, and care for your baby in any way s/he needs. As your baby gets older and more active, you may want to consider whether having her/him in session is a distraction for you and your work. Finding some time away from your child to focus solely on yourself can be exactly what you need for healing.