How we help

What is person-centred counselling?

This is an evidence-based, internationally recognised “style” of talking therapy founded by American psychologist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Carl Rogers (1902-1987). It’s based on the principle that each person is their own best expert, and has the capacity to make proper sense of and make their own best choices in their lives. As P-C counsellors, we are specially trained (to Masters’ degree level) to understand you, without judgement and with personal genuineness, and so provide a form of relationship in which you may experience psychological growth. We don’t just “listen and nod.” Our own genuineness and understandings will be shared with you in your sessions, but we do not “diagnose,” “advise” or “tell you what to do”. Our role is to help you to empower yourself.

How is it done?

Typically, counselling sessions are one-to-one conversations between a client and a counsellor, each lasting 50 minutes. The time essentially belongs to the client, who can talk about whatever they wish. With a smallish number of important exceptions (which we discuss with clients at the outset) whatever the client mentions in the sessions is confidential between them and the counsellor. As PC counsellors, we are specially trained (to Masters’ degree level) to understand you, without judgement and with personal genuineness, and respond to you genuinely, honestly, and in ways that help you work on and address your own issues in positive ways. We don’t just “listen and nod yet we do not “diagnose,” “advise” or “tell you what to do”. Our role is to help clients to empower themselves.

This approach can be applied to working with groups and organisations. It’s a good approach to conflict resolution/mediation work, as it was the basis of Roger’s recommendation for a Nobel Peace Prize (unfortunately he died in the year of this nomination).

We are members of The British Association for the Person-Centred Approach, and if you want more information about this style of counselling https://www.bapca.org.uk/ .

Is it all like this?

In short, “No”. Person-Centred Counselling is a specific style of counselling quite different from other forms of talking therapy. It is difficult to “combine” or “integrate” it with other forms of therapy in a mix-or-match sort of way without contradictions, because its fundamental principles are inconsistent with those of other approaches. For example, the person-centred counsellor’s belief in a client being his or her own best expert seems to us incompatible with forms of therapy which rely on counsellors making judgements about what is “wrong” with clients (e.g. a diagnosis like an “anxiety disorder”) then providing clients with appropriate seeming treatments or recommendations (like “try thinking of your breathing”). We don’t mean to belittle other approaches, but point out they can leave less room for a client to exercise authority over themselves than the person-centred approach we use. Our approach seeks to help clients become empowered, not to take power from them.

For information on other styles of counselling, see the website of our professional body, the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy http://www.bacp.co.uk/student/modalities.php .

What is psychotherapy?

In the UK, the terms “Counselling” and “Psychotherapy” are not defined by law and different people have different ideas. Our professional body, the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP), does not distinguish “counselling” from “psychotherapy” and our style of “Person-Centred” talking therapy can correctly be called both. It can also be called “Rogerian” or “Client-Centred” Counselling/Psychotherapy. However, some people reserve the term “psychotherapy” to mean “counselling” over a relatively large number of sessions, suggesting the longer someone is in therapy the more likely it is they will experience “deeper” work. Since clients’ realisations and improvements in wellbeing, and “deep work”, do not always take a long time to happen, like the BACP we use the words “counselling” and “psychotherapy” interchangeably, to mean the same thing.

What are the outcomes?

The outcome of any client’s therapy is very much a product of their starting point, all that happens in their therapy sessions, and very much the quality of their relationship with their counsellor. In fact, research suggests that the quality of the therapeutic relationship between a counsellor and client (rather than the “style” of counselling used) is the most significant factor in determining positive outcomes. As Person-Centred Counsellors, we have been specifically trained to provide the kind of therapeutic relationship which is associated with such positive outcomes.

How long will it take?

There is no set period over which a client must have counselling to experience positive outcomes. It is common for clients to feel some relief after just a session or 2, and rare, but not unheard of, for clients to feel they have resolved a trouble in a single session. If you are new to counselling it is safer to assume that you may require 6 or more regular, weekly sessions before you experience such things or they might run their course. Since Person-Centred Counselling relies on a client experiencing the benefits of being in a good therapeutic relationship, characterised by the counsellor’s understanding of, acceptance of, and genuineness towards them, typically it can take several sessions for the counsellor and client to build such a close and trusting relationship and for clients to then experience benefits from that relationship. Again, counselling is very much a joint venture dependent on both the particular counsellor and the particular client. Some clients remain in counselling for years, some for weeks or months, and some decide very quickly it is not for them. Counselling normally ends when a client feels they no longer need it. This said, it is not the intention of Person-Centred Counselling that clients should become dependent on a counsellor or become involved with long-term therapy if it is not right for them. As BACP members we are ethically obliged to regularly take stock of whether or not continuing therapy is in your best interests. You can be assured that we will conduct such reviews regularly, either with you or else outside of your sessions between ourselves.

What are the benefits?

There are psychological questionnaires intended to measure certain conditions in standardised ways, such as anxiety and depression scales. Although these don’t fit well with our non-diagnostic approach, they can be used as ways to compare clients’ starting and ending points in therapy, or for reviews, or where tracking measureable benefits is required. Aside from such number crunching, however, what benefit you might receive from counselling will be very personal to you, and is very much dependent on your issues and objectives, as well as your particular history, circumstances, your relationship with your counsellor and your own way of engaging with the counselling process. Each person’s counselling journey is unique. Not only can benefits not be guaranteed in advance, but the precise form they take also can be hard to predict. This said, our own experiences with clients and our own personal therapy has broadly confirmed Carl Rogers’ views of the benefits of Person-Centred Counselling. These include, perhaps obviously, greater self-understanding and self-acceptance as well as a shift from a quite fixed view of oneself (such as, “I’m broken, and will always be broken”) to a sense of one’s capacity to change and adapt, and take control of one’s life to become as one wants to be (“I don’t have to be like this, and I’m not going to let what happened define me!”). Further benefits occur as clients such live out such therapeutic benefits in their daily lives, moving to safer or more satisfying relationships, carrying on after a devastating loss, getting back into the swing of dating again after a break up, following ambitions, and so forth.

What do I need to do?

We recognise that talking about anything that really bothers you can be difficult, and even if you do bravely come along to your first session you may need several more sessions to feel safe enough before you mention what troubles you most. Trust building tends to happen naturally, and takes different time for different people. We make it our business to do all we can so you feel safe with us and don’t expect you to trust us just because we’re counsellors, though some clients do and that’s ok too. So, aside from coming along, and preferably talking at some point, there isn’t anything special that you have to do, aside from receiving and preferably signing a counselling agreement which we’ll explain at your first session.

How much is it?

Your total cost will depend on the number of sessions you have and the cost per session which we can discount for long-standing clients. We are happy to discuss budgeting and pacing your sessions to suit your needs and finances.

How much is a session?

Our fees per 50 minte session for individual clients having one-to-one counselling range from £40 to £60. We offer discounts for groups, block bookings, advance payments, and to full-time students studying in UK.

Payment methods?

For one-to-one sessions, we accept payments by cleared standing order / transfer in advance, or by cash on the day.

Please enquire about our rates using the form on this website, stating your preferred counselling location/method (Nottingham, Loughborough, Skype etc) preferred times/days, if you are a higher education student, student), and if you wish a very brief summary of why you are approaching us.

For all other enquiries, including about payment options for businesses or groups, please provide as much information as you can using the form on this website.

We respond to all bona fide website enquiries as soon as we are able to.

Cancellations?

Because we counsel one-to-one at venues which require us to make advance bookings for which we are subject to cancellation policies, we regret that we must charge up to the full fee for all sessions cancelled at less than 48 hours notice to us.

As a student in first year of university who was dealing with intense home pressures as well as anxiety around unviersity exams, keith helped me discuss my problems openly - he was someone I could turn to when I was feeling extremely alone.

He helped me discuss and explore problems in the past which I had been trying to distract myself from and helped me reflect on how to deal with them.

After the counselling sessions I felt more aware of my problems and [a] much more assured person.

I recommend keith because he has a very calm and gentle approach which allowed me to feel comfortable sharing some very personal details with him.

Having such a kind, honest and trustworthy person to speak to about everything has really helped me understand and deal with certain aspects of my life.

I now understand myself much better than before I started counselling and this has helped me feel much more confident about myself.

I never thought talking to someone could be so helpful

I have never been so well understood

You helped me find a lot of strength in myself

Your belief in me gave me great encouragement to make the right choice.

Let's Get Started

Get in touch with us and tell a little about yourself so we can discuss with you how we might help. When you’re ready to move forward, we practice from private, professional therapy rooms in Nottingham and Loughborough and, by arrangement, at other venues across the East Midlands, by telephone, Skype and chat.