What happens in counselling?
If you've never had counselling, it's hard to picture what you're signing up for. This page walks through it from the first call, so there are fewer unknowns before you start.
You don't need to know what to say, have a diagnosis, or be at breaking point. Wanting to talk something through is enough.
The free call (optional)
You can start with a free 10-minute phone call, bookable at 12:00 or 12:30, Monday to Friday. You tell me a little about what's going on, I tell you how I'd work with it, and you decide whether to book. There are no forms and no commitment. If you already know you'd like to start, you can book a first session straight away.
The first session
We go through the counselling agreement together first. It covers fees, cancellations, confidentiality and its limits, and how we'd end. You can read the agreement in advance.
Then we talk about what's brought you. I'll ask some questions about your life now and a little about your background. You can say as much or as little as you want. At the end, we agree whether to carry on and how often to meet.
The sessions after
Sessions are 50 minutes, usually weekly to start. What we do depends on what you need. Some people want practical tools for anxiety, stress or low mood, and for that I often draw on CBT. Others need space to understand something that has built up over years. Most people want a bit of both.
There's no fixed number of sessions. We review how things are going as we go, and you can stop when it feels right.
Confidentiality
What you tell me stays between us, with a small number of exceptions every counsellor works to, such as a serious risk of harm to you or someone else. I'll explain exactly how that works before we begin. I discuss my work in supervision without identifying you, as all counsellors do.
What counselling can and can't do
Counselling gives you time, attention and a different way of looking at what's happening. It can help you understand yourself, cope differently and make decisions. It isn't a medical treatment, and I can't promise a particular outcome. If you need a diagnosis, medication or crisis care, your GP or NHS services are the right place, and I'll say so if I think another route would suit you better.
Practical details
- £70 for 50 minutes, paid before each session by card or bank transfer
- 48 hours' notice to cancel
- In person in private counselling rooms in Barnsley, with free parking, or by video or telephone
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm
- Registered to accept referrals from Bupa and Aviva. Read how to use your health insurance
If you need help now
Counselling isn't an emergency service. If you're in crisis, you can talk to someone any time:
Guides
Why anxiety keeps coming back
The anxiety cycle, and how avoiding things keeps it going.
Learn more →What happens in a panic attack
Why it feels so frightening, and what helps in the moment.
Learn more →Low mood and doing less
How low mood and withdrawing feed each other.
Learn more →Signs of burnout
How burnout builds, and how to change course.
Learn more →How grief works
Why grief doesn't come in neat stages.
Learn more →When gambling becomes a problem
The signs, the chasing loop, and where to get help.
Learn more →Anger
How anger builds, what sits underneath, and what helps.
Learn more →Reviewed by Tracy Simpson, MBACP, October 2026.