What to Expect from Counselling

Starting counselling can feel like a big step, especially if you’re not sure what to say. You don’t need to have it worked out. You don’t need a reason that feels “serious enough”, and you don’t need to know anything about counselling first.

Here’s what happens, from your first message to your first session and beyond.

Book a free introductory call WhatsApp me

Free 10–15 minute call
No obligation to book
£50 for 60 minutes

The quiet hallway and waiting area outside the therapy room at Douglas House

Getting started

From your first message to beginning counselling

First

You get in touch

Send me a WhatsApp message or use the short enquiry form. A sentence is plenty. You don’t need to explain everything.

Then

A short introductory call

A free call of about 10–15 minutes, so we can introduce ourselves and see whether we might work well together.

When you’re ready

Your first session

If you decide to go ahead, we arrange a 60-minute session, face to face in Bolton, online or outdoors.

The introductory call

The free 10–15 minute introductory call

The call is a chance to talk before you decide anything. It usually lasts about 10–15 minutes. During it:

we introduce ourselves
we briefly talk about why you’d like some help
you can ask me anything about counselling, my approach or practical arrangements
we both consider whether we may be a good fit

Trust matters in counselling. You need to feel safe enough to open up, so it’s important that we can work together. There’s no obligation to book afterwards. If you’d like to know more about me first, read about Andrea.

The call and a counselling session

Detail	Introductory call	Counselling session
Length	About 10–15 minutes	60 minutes
Cost	Free	£50
Purpose	Getting to know each other and deciding whether to go ahead	Time to talk in depth about what’s on your mind
Commitment	None	Booked when you’re ready

Andrea’s therapy room at Douglas House, with two armchairs, a rug and a window

Your first session

What the first full session may involve

Your first session lasts 60 minutes. There isn’t a script, and no two first sessions are quite the same. Usually, we spend time getting to know each other: what has brought you to counselling, what’s happening in your life now, and what you’d like to be different.

You don’t need to prepare a full account of your life or tell me everything at once. You decide what you share and when. I’ll listen, take your feelings seriously and go at a pace that feels manageable for you.

We’ll also go through how confidentiality works, and there’s time to ask any questions you have.

Where to begin

What if I don’t know what to talk about?

This is one of the most common worries, and it’s fine not to know. Helping to open up the conversation is part of my role.

We can start with something ordinary that happened that day. Even a small moment can show a lot about how you’re feeling and how you cope, and one small topic can open into a deeper conversation.

Some people come with something specific, such as anxiety and overthinking or grief after a loss. Others simply feel stuck or low and aren’t sure why. Both are fine places to start.

One little topic of conversation can really open up into a very deep conversation.

Over time

How counselling may develop over time

Counselling is a process rather than one sudden breakthrough. Over time, it can give you a clearer understanding of yourself and new ways to handle everyday situations.

At your pace

Everyone’s story is different, and we work through yours at a pace that suits you.

No fixed number of sessions

How many sessions you have depends on what you’d like to work on. We can discuss this during the introductory call.

Ideas from Transactional Analysis

I work using Transactional Analysis. I introduce its ideas gradually, in plain English, when they help make sense of what you’re experiencing. You don’t need to know anything about it beforehand.

Privacy

Confidentiality and boundaries

Counselling is a private space to talk. Confidentiality does have some limits, for example if someone is at serious risk of harm or the law requires information to be shared. I’ll explain confidentiality and its limits clearly before counselling begins, and you can ask about anything that’s unclear.

As a BACP-registered counsellor (MBACP 414595), I work within the BACP’s ethical framework.

Ways to meet

Choose how we meet

Every format has the same 60 minutes, the same £50 fee and the same approach. We can talk about which might suit you during the call.

In person · Bolton BL1

Face-to-face counselling

A quiet, private room at Douglas House on Belmont Road, with free parking nearby.

Visiting the room

Adults across the UK

Online Counselling

Sessions from a private space that works for you, wherever you are in the UK.

How online sessions work

Outdoors, by arrangement

Walk and Talk Therapy

Counselling outdoors, side by side, at a location we agree together in advance.

Explore walking sessions

Questions

Common questions about starting counselling

Is my problem serious enough for counselling?

You don’t need to be in crisis, and you’re not wasting my time. Many people worry that someone else is worse off than them. Everyone has their own story, and that story is what we work with, at a pace that suits you.

Isn’t counselling just talking? I could talk to a friend.

Friends matter, and it’s good to have people you can open up to. But a friend may be waiting for their turn to speak, or find it hard to keep listening to the same worries or grief. In counselling, the hour is yours: I listen, take your feelings seriously and help you make sense of what’s happening.

How many sessions will I need?

There isn’t a set number. It depends on what you’d like to work on, and some things take longer than others. We can discuss this during the introductory call.

Do I need to know about Transactional Analysis?

No. You don’t need to know anything about counselling or TA beforehand. I explain any ideas in plain English if and when they’re useful. You can read more about Transactional Analysis Therapy if you’re curious.

What if I decide counselling isn’t for me after the call?

That’s completely fine. The call is there to help you decide, and there’s no obligation to book a session afterwards.

Free intro call

What to Expect from Counselling

From your first message to beginning counselling

You get in touch

A short introductory call

Your first session

The free 10–15 minute introductory call

The call and a counselling session

What the first full session may involve

What if I don’t know what to talk about?

How counselling may develop over time

At your pace

No fixed number of sessions

Ideas from Transactional Analysis

Confidentiality and boundaries

Choose how we meet

Face-to-face counselling

Online Counselling

Walk and Talk Therapy

Common questions about starting counselling

Is my problem serious enough for counselling?

Isn’t counselling just talking? I could talk to a friend.

How many sessions will I need?

Do I need to know about Transactional Analysis?

What if I decide counselling isn’t for me after the call?

Start with a short call

Or send a short enquiry