FAQs

The first session is an opportunity to begin getting to know one another and to help you feel settled and supported. We’ll spend some time talking about what has brought you to therapy, what you’re hoping for, and any questions or concerns you may have. There is no pressure to share everything at once, you’re welcome to go at your own pace.

I’ll also explain how therapy works, including confidentiality and boundaries, and we’ll check that the practical arrangements feel clear. Most importantly, the first session is about creating a safe, respectful space where you can begin to feel comfortable and see whether working together feels like the right fit for you.

Everything shared in therapy is treated as confidential. Your information is not shared with anyone else without your explicit consent.

There are rare circumstances where I may be legally or ethically required to act, such as if there is a serious risk of harm to yourself or others, safeguarding concerns involving children or vulnerable adults, or if I am required to do so by a court order. Wherever possible, this would be discussed with you first.

If you would like me to share information with another professional, such as your GP, this would only happen with your clear, written consent using a consent form. Any information shared would be limited to what has been agreed together.

Rather than specialising in a single issue, I work with people as a whole. Clients come to therapy with many different experiences, and often these can overlap or change over time. My approach is flexible and integrative, allowing the work to respond to what feels most important for you.

I have experience supporting adults with a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, trauma, relational difficulties, life transitions, low self-esteem, and emotional overwhelm. Therapy is not about fitting you into a category, but about understanding your unique experiences and supporting meaningful change in a way that feels right for you.

How often you attend therapy is flexible and can be discussed together. Many people begin with weekly sessions, as this can help build our therapeutic relationship, consistency and momentum, particularly at the start. Others choose fortnightly or less frequent sessions depending on their needs, circumstances, and availability.

We can review session frequency over time, and you’re always welcome to talk with me about what feels most supportive for you. Therapy is shaped collaboratively, and there is no fixed expectation to attend in a particular way.

The length of therapy varies from person to person and depends on what you’d like to explore, your goals, and what feels most helpful for you. Some people attend therapy for a short period to focus on a specific concern, while others choose to work over a longer time for deeper exploration or ongoing support.

There is no fixed timeframe, and we can review this together as the work develops. Therapy is guided by your needs and circumstances, and you are always free to talk about pacing, progress, and whether continuing feels right for you.

That’s completely okay. Many people begin therapy unsure of where to start or how to put things into words. There is no “right” way to do therapy, and I hold no expectations about what you should bring or say in a session.

We can take things at your pace, and sometimes simply noticing what feels present, even uncertainty or silence, can be a meaningful place to begin. My role is to support the process and help create space for exploration, rather than expecting you to have clear answers or a plan from the outset.

There is no mandatory homework in therapy. The work we do is shaped around your individual needs, preferences, and what feels most supportive for you.

Much of the work between sessions often involves noticing and processing new insights, thoughts, or feelings that arise from our conversations. Some people find additional resources, such as; tools, articles, information, or simple exercises helpful to explore between sessions, while others do not. If it feels therapeutically appropriate, I may offer these as optional support, but there is no expectation to engage with them.

We can talk together about what feels useful for you. Therapy is about offering support that fits you, rather than following a set structure or adding pressure.

I do not provide crisis or emergency support. This is due to the boundaried nature of my work, and the limitations of working as a solo private practitioner. Clear boundaries are essential to ensure safe, responsible, and effective therapeutic practice.

If you are experiencing a crisis or feel at immediate risk between sessions, it’s important to contact appropriate support services. The following resources are available:

• Emergency Services (999) – if you or someone else is at immediate risk of harm

• NHS 24 (111) – for urgent medical advice when your GP is unavailable

• Samaritans (116 123) – free, confidential emotional support, available 24/7

• Breathing Space Scotland (0800 83 85 87) – support for people in Scotland experiencing low mood, anxiety, or distress (evenings and weekends)

• Aberdeen Foyer Crisis Support Line (01224 212924) – local crisis support

• Penumbra Aberdeen (01224 642857) – local mental health crisis and recovery support

Where possible, we can also talk together in sessions about accessing support and planning for times when things feel particularly difficult. My aim is to ensure you are supported appropriately, even when I am not available.

That’s okay. Therapy is a personal process, and finding the right therapist and approach is an important part of it. If at any point therapy with me doesn’t feel like the right fit, you’re encouraged to talk about this openly. These conversations can be a valuable part of understanding what you need and what feels most supportive.

My commitment is to support you in the best way possible. If it becomes clear that a different approach or another form of support may be more helpful, I can offer information about alternative options or signpost you to other services where appropriate. You are never under any obligation to continue therapy if it no longer feels right for you.

Therapy often helps in subtle and meaningful ways, and these changes can look different for everyone. You might notice increased clarity, greater self-understanding, or shifts in how you respond to situations, relationships, or difficult emotions. Sometimes it’s simply feeling more able to pause, reflect, or approach things with greater compassion and choice.

An important part of the work is talking together about how therapy is feeling for you; what feels helpful, what doesn’t, and what you might want to adjust. These conversations help shape the work as it continues, ensuring therapy remains responsive, supportive, and aligned with what you need.