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QUESTIONS ABOUT THERAPY
General1
Counselling and psychotherapy are both forms of talking therapy, and there's considerable overlap between them.
Although psychotherapy is sometimes associated with longer-term, more exploratory work, the distinction isn't always clear. Much depends on the therapist's training, approach and the needs of the person seeking support.In my practice, I draw primarily on existential psychotherapy, which explores how we experience and make sense of our lives, including our relationships, choices and the uncertainties we face. The length and direction of our work will depend on what brings you to therapy and what emerges through our conversations.
Our sessions begin with whatever has brought you to therapy. My approach is grounded in existential psychotherapy, particularly the work of Irvin Yalom, Ernesto Spinelli and Emmy van Deurzen. We'll explore your experiences together, looking at how you understand yourself, your relationships with others, and the circumstances you're facing.
There's no predetermined path that therapy has to follow. Some conversations might focus on a particular difficulty, while others might lead us to question assumptions, explore recurring patterns or consider aspects of your life you haven't previously thought about. I also draw on elements of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI) where helpful.
Our work is collaborative, and I welcome your thoughts about how you're experiencing our sessions, including anything you feel uncertain or uncomfortable about.
If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please provide at least 48 hours' notice. Cancellations made with less than 48 hours' notice, as well as missed appointments, will be charged at the full session rate.
The reason for this is because your appointment time is reserved specifically for you, and appointments cancelled at short notice generally cannot be offered to another client.
If you're running late, please let me know as soon as possible. You're welcome to use whatever time remains in your appointment, but sessions will still finish at their originally scheduled time and the full fee will apply.
Research shows that online therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy for many concerns, including anxiety, grief, and existential concerns. In some cases, it may even improve engagement – people can be more likely to seek help, stick with it, and attend sessions consistently when therapy is more accessible.
The flexibility of online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into your life, and advances in technology have improved how we connect and communicate in a therapeutic setting. If you feel comfortable speaking over video and have a reliable internet connection, online therapy can be a meaningful, effective way to get support.
It depends on your situation, needs, and what you want from psychotherapy. Determining the number of sessions beforehand is a bit like deciding on the length of a bridge without knowing the distance between two points. I'd recommend reading this article by Jonathan Shedler, in which he writes about the common claim that meaningful psychotherapy can be achieved in 8-12 sessions. Again, it depends on your situation. Brief therapy (8-12 sessions) might be sufficient if you have a relatively mild-to-moderate issue or clear goals on which you need some guidance. Dr. Aaron Beck (founder of CBT) cautioned against setting a predetermined number of sessions in a letter (2014) to the then Minister of Health for Australia, adding, "therapy needs to be individualised for the specific patient."
Existential therapy is a form of psychotherapy that explores how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world around us. It addresses the deeper questions of human existence – meaning, purpose, freedom, mortality, isolation, and responsibility. Rather than offering quick solutions, it invites reflection on what truly matters to you and how you might live more authentically in light of that.
This approach can be especially helpful during times of crisis or transition, when old assumptions no longer hold and new ways of being are yet to emerge. It encourages self-awareness, honest engagement with life’s challenges, and a greater sense of personal agency. An in-depth answer to this question can be read here.
It depends on what you're bringing to therapy. For some people – especially those with strong self-awareness, good support systems, and a clear sense of what they want – one or two sessions might be enough to gain clarity or make a meaningful shift, such as someone in the middle of a career change or looking for clarity on a particular decision. In those kinds of cases, brief work can be helpful.
But when someone claims they can cure a psychological issue in one or two sessions, that’s a red flag. No ethical mental health professional should make such promises. Therapy isn’t about quick fixes – it’s a process that depends on trust, collaboration, and time.
Real change tends to unfold gradually, often in unexpected ways. You might feel better after a single session – and that can be valuable – but feeling better isn’t the same as doing the deeper work of change.
If someone offers a guaranteed cure, especially quickly, be cautious. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
It’s a fair question. Yes, therapy involves talking and listening, but the difference lies in the depth and purpose of that exchange. In everyday conversation, we often stay on the surface, avoiding the uncomfortable truths beneath. In therapy, we slow down, examine, and allow those deeper layers to emerge. Friends might offer advice that’s well-intentioned but not always what you truly need. As Carl Rogers once said, if advice worked to solve complex problems, we wouldn't need therapy.
A therapist won’t direct or fix your problems – but they will help you explore your questions and struggles, untangle your thinking, and make sense of what’s been hard to face.
In therapy, discomfort often comes before progress. That’s part of the work, and it's where change begins.
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