Your Journey...
First Step Therapy
Dorset
The moment you decide to make contact, you’ve already taken a huge step. You can get in touch by completing the contact sheet, sending an email or a text.
You don’t need to share your whole life story in this first message, just a few brief lines about what’s going on for you is plenty.
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You should usually receive a reply within 24 hours with some suggested times for an initial chat. There is absolutely no pressure or obligation when you reach out; it’s just an open door, and you choose whether to walk through it.
1. First Contact
"You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." — Martin Luther King Jr.
This is a relaxed, no fee, 15-minute chat where we can introduce ourselves and see how we get along. This initial chat is completed online and is not a formal session, but rather an opportunity to share some simple information about ourselves. We would always recommend talking to several counsellors, as counselling is all about the relationship and this gives you the chance to see which feels most comfortable.
The details of this initial chat will be mutually agreed, including date, time and a link to the online meetingÂ
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We know that starting therapy can feel pretty daunting, and that is completely natural. When we meet, you'll find a warm, relaxed, and non-judgmental space where you get to decide exactly how much you want to tell us. You are entirely in the driving seat here, we'll go at whatever pace feels comfortable for you, and there is never any pressure to talk about things before you're ready.
We’ll gently explore what’s brought you here and what you hope to get out of therapy. If you are on low income support or have a blue light card we can discuss the concession rates offered.
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The relationship between client and counsellor is immensely important to the success of therapy. The initial chat is as much for you to interview me as it is for anything else. You get to decide if you feel comfortable with your counsellor and feel like they are the right person to share your journey.
The initial assessment is as much for you to interview me as it is for anything else.Â
2. Free Consultation
If you decide we’re a good fit and want to move forward, we’ll get your regular sessions in the diary. We will usually meet once a week at the same day and time so it fits neatly into your routine. Each session will last 50 minutes.
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Your space, your rules: In these sessions, there is no "right" or "wrong" way to show up. You are entirely free to bring whatever you are feeling into the room, whether that is sadness, anger, confusion, or even just sitting in silence for a bit. Together, we will look at what is happening for you, always focusing on you, your autonomy and paying attention to both what your mind and body are trying to tell you. You choose what we talk about each week, and you decide when you feel ready to bring our work to an end.
3. The Counselling Sessions
"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are." — Carl Jung
A Note on Waiting Times
If we cannot find a time that is available for both of us, there might be a short wait before we can officially kick off our regular sessions. Because we respect your time and choice, we promise to always be completely transparent with you. If there is a wait, you will be fully updated on timescales so you can decide how you want to manage your next steps.