Counselling is a supportive and collaborative process that provides a safe, confidential space for you to explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences. It can help you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself, work through challenges, and develop healthier ways of thinking and coping.
The first session will involve exploring what has brought you to counselling in the first place, how have you been feeling lately and exploring any thoughts or experiences that have been on your mind. It is also a chance for both of us to sense if we can work together. I will explain my counselling background and work ethics, the importance of confidentiality and any contracting requirements such as session times, payment requirements and the cancellation policy.
It is important that you find the right therapist for you. Throughout our sessions together I will encourage us to reflect and review how we are experiencing working together.
Good question and an important one. The therapeutic relationship plays a huge part in successful counselling, since feeling safe and understood encourages change.
Our first session gives us an opportunity to get a sense of each other and whether or not my approach feels right for you. You may not get a full sense of this until a few sessions in. If at any point you feel that another therapist might be better suited to your needs, that is completely ok. The most important thing is that you find the right support for you.
Everyone is unique in this, and it can depend on your personal circumstances and lived experience. Some people may just want a few sessions to address a specific problem in their life, while others may need a more open-ended approach, and I have clients who have been coming to therapy for over a year.
At our first initial session we can discuss and agree an initial number of sessions and we can continually review how you feel the sessions are going and if you feel further sessions would be beneficial to you.
Each session is 50 minutes and ideally on the same day and time each week. The cost of each session is £60, which is to be paid 24 hours before or on the day of the session, by bank transfer.
If you need to cancel or reschedule a session I ask for at least 48 hours’ notice, otherwise you will be charged a full fee for the missed session.
Opening up to someone new can feel daunting and it can be very normal to feel nervous or unsure, especially if it is your first time. My role is to create a safe, non-judgmental place where you start to feel comfortable sharing as much or as little as you like. There will be no pressure to talk about anything before you are ready, we can take things at your own pace, step by step.
That is completely ok and more common than you may think! – especially at the beginning. Part of my role is to help guide the conversation in a way that feels natural and comfortable for you.
Sometimes, just having a space to talk freely and confidentially can help things become clearer.
There will be no pressure on you to have the all the right questions and answers, counselling is about discovering them together.
It is completely normal to have doubts if counselling is helping, especially in the early stages. Sometimes progress isn’t immediately obvious, and change can take time. However, if you are feeling stuck or unsure, we can explore what’s working and what’s not. I would encourage you to share your doubts, so we can find the best way forward for you.
Ending therapy is an important part of the process. You are free to end counselling whenever you feel it is the right time for you. However, I kindly ask for two weeks’ notice before finishing our work together. This allows us time to reflect on your progress, address any final thoughts or feelings and ensure a sense of closure.
If you would like to explore working together, I would be very happy to hear from you. Please feel free to get in touch by phone or email to check availability.
I offer a free 15-minute telephone or Zoom consultation – an informal space to talk through what you’re looking for and see if I might be the right fit for you.
Should you decide to move forward, our first session will be an opportunity to explore your needs in more depth, ask any questions you may have, and get a sense of how we might work together.
Contact details
Session fees & payments
Payment is kindly requested by bank transfer before each session.
If you need to cancel, please do let me know with at least 48 hours’ notice—otherwise, the full session fee will apply.
Green Tulip Counselling offers a warm, supportive space for emotional healing and growth. Based in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, I provide face-to-face and online therapy. Together, we will explore what has brought you here and work towards meaningful change. A place of hope and new beginnings—where you don’t have to face things alone.