“To aim for the highest point is not the only way to climb a mountain.”
Nan Shepard, ‘The Living Mountain’
Life can be messy, sometimes we can’t see the wood for the trees. However, I believe we all have the capacity within us to find the direction and pace we want to be moving in and an idea about where we want to go. Perhaps first, a space to slow down, stop and reflect in this busy world, is what you need right now. You may feel that the future is daunting and you are facing a steep climb ahead of you, or that issues from the past are drawing your attention back. You might feel stuck in the mud or trudging an arduous path day to day.
Whether you are processing the loss of a significant person in your life or dealing with a big change. Or coping with relationship struggles or distressing past experiences – causing you low mood, anxiety and stress. Maybe you feel overwhelmed or confused, questioning your identity, navigating ‘ambiguous loss’, searching for meaning or purpose, or would like to make changes in your life. Whatever has brought you to this point, you have taken a big step already. Asking for help is not easy! Sometimes we feel very clear about the sort of support we need or want, and other times this is murky and complicated. This might be your first time accessing counselling, which can feel full of unknowns, and I can give you information about what to expect from beginning counselling. Here is a starting point below:
The first session
The first session is what’s known as a consultation, where the purpose is to get a feel for whether we might work well together. For me that involves assessing whether I can offer you effective support and if my approach is going to be useful to you. For you, you’ll be looking for a gut feeling about whether you feel comfortable enough with me to bring up whatever you need or want to.
I also offer a free 20-minute introductory chat online or over the phone.
I’ll send you a written contract called a ‘Counselling Agreement’ prior to the first session – this includes things like how I keep your information confidential, how we arrange time off or cancellations, and how you would pay. This gives us clear expectations and I welcome any questions about anything to do with the contract or my approach.
How many sessions will I need?
Our work may be short-term (anywhere from 8 – 16 sessions), or open-ended, which would finish whenever you feel it is the right time for you. This all depends on what you’d prefer and what the issue is that you’re tackling, and is not always clear to begin with. I’ve witnessed meaningful shifts in therapy within a month and I’ve also been beside others every week on their journey for many years.
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A safe space to talk, think, feel… can often be enough to find clarity and a way through life’s challenges. A therapeutic relationship can bring into focus where we have come from, the qualities of our internal world and relationships, and what barriers or obstacles we are coming up against, which might be clouding our needs and values.
I am interested in what Chris Rose calls ‘therapeutic landscapes’. There may be literal landscapes and environments which feel therapeutic (or not) for us; urban or rural places we have visited and we have an emotional attachment to or places we feel we don’t belong – these can be brought into the therapy room to describe or draw or represent with objects, and to explore what these places mean to us. We may also have a sense of our internal environment, perhaps with maps or systems or ‘parts’. It can be powerful to share and express these in a safe enough, therapeutic space.
A transformative ‘relational landscape’ can be created in therapy. Wherever you are in your life, I can join you on your path. Perhaps for a brief time, or for a longer journey. You may wish to explore old terrain or discover new routes, or both. I will be open to discuss whichever way you want to go.
Elanor Gibson Counselling 