FEES & LOCATION
Fees
20-minute informal discussion (non-committed) - Free of charge.
Individual sessions are £50 per session - (60 minutes).
Payment can be made in cash at the start of each session, or by bank transfer the day prior to your session.
I have the belief that counselling/therapy should be accessible to all; however, if finances are proving to be the barrier to you seeking support, I provide 2 individual remote sessions of counselling per week (free of charge - to individuals on low/no income). Please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss this further (in confidence), and to check my waiting list.
Location
My practice is based in the centre of Saffron Walden
(Northwest Essex).
Online & Telephone Counselling and Therapy
I provide online and telephone counselling to individuals throughout the whole of the UK.
Availability
Mondays - From 12:00 - 20:00
Tuesdays to Fridays - From 10:00 - 20:00
Saturdays - Limited morning/early afternoon
sessions available.
Please contact me for availability.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
To see if I can help, and if you feel I am the right counsellor to support you, please contact me by completing the contact form, by phone, text, or email at johanna@stepaheadcounselling.co.uk to book a 20-minute informal discussion (free of charge and non-committed). If I am unable to support you, or you feel I am not the right counsellor for you, I will try to signpost you to other services which may be helpful to you.
If I am unable to take your call, please leave a message with your name and contact number (on my confidential voicemail), and I will return your call.
Where possible, I aim to respond to all messages on the same day.
The prospect of speaking to someone you’ve never met before about your problems or experiences can feel daunting - it is natural to feel this way.
I will do all that I can to create a safe, relaxing, and open environment, for you to feel supported and understood.
We will talk through your problems or challenges, but it’s OK if you don’t know what to say, how to say it. where to start, or the reason/s which might have led you to seek counselling in the first place. I will work at your pace, and we will work through this together.
During our first session, I will briefly introduce myself and speak a little about how I work. To get to know you better, and to find out more about the challenges you may be experiencing, along with your hopes, and goals, I will ask you some questions. We can then work together to determine the areas of your life which are proving to be challenging, and where you wish to focus.
I am an integrative therapist, which means I have gained experience working with different therapeutic modalities. I work mainly in a person-centred way; however, I can draw upon Psychodynamic and CBT concepts, along with coaching tools, to best support your individual needs.
Through the process of exploration, I will gently guide you and help you to find your voice, helping you to gain clarity and a better understanding of yourself. During our sessions together, we will discuss the changes you have experienced, and celebrate the successes too.
We will frequently review your progress, goals, and achievements.
Especially at the start, to be most effective, it would be beneficial to have regular weekly sessions to focus on your specific issues/concerns.
In your initial session, we can discuss the number of sessions you may require; however, this is entirely up to you, and how you feel you have progressed.
You might want us to work together for an agreed number of sessions (6, 8 or 12), or to leave it open-ended. I am happy to work with clients in the short, medium, or long-term, depending on their individual needs.
Regular reviews will help us to look at your progress, and to set new goals if required.
A planned ending session is always recommended.
Confidentiality is of paramount importance. What we discuss within our sessions will remain confidential. There are a few exceptions to this, which I will discuss in our first meeting together.
I adhere to the Data Protection Act (1998) and am registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).
This is your space; therefore, it is entirely up to you. We can discuss what feels most convenient and comfortable for you, when we have our first session together.
I will do my utmost to ensure you feel comfortable and safe. Hand gel will be provided, and you are welcome to wear a face covering/mask/shield. We can discuss this further prior to our first face-to-face session.
I also provide online and telephone counselling, should this feel more comfortable or convenient for you.
CONTACT ME
If I am unable to take your call, please leave a message with your name, contact number and the best time for me to return your call (on my confidential voicemail).
I aim to respond to all messages the same day, where possible.
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"
Lao Tzu