FAQ

Spiritual beliefs and counselling versus the counselling services offered by Dean Richardson.

“Brief/Focal” counselling or “Open Ended” counselling – which method of therapy might suit you best?

Couples who wish to (or have to) separate amicably, who have children or other responsibilities to manage, can find couple counselling a helpful resource to assist both partners in their separation. As a qualified couples counsellor, Dean Richardson can help couples in their focus to end their relationship.

Counselling is available on the NHS – with associated waiting lists. You may be introduced to cheaper forms of self-help therapies before you are considered to meet with a fully qualified and experienced therapist.

Wishing to send someone to counselling may be a natural response to anxiety or concern for another person. But, unless the person wishes to come to counselling of their own accord, counselling will remain mostly ineffective.

Some people are gay. Unlike straight-people, however, all gay people at some time have to choose whether or not to ‘come out of the closet’ (to coin an old phrase). Some people seek support from an LGBT counsellor before making a decision on announcing to the world (or at least family and friends) that they are gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual. Coming out of the closet is not easy for some, and easier for others, but speaking with an counsellor who works with LGBT people can make the decision easier to work through.

Deciding on private counselling is something you can do in confidence and without having to see your GP for a referral.

Entering private counsellor does not require an examination, or like IAPT/NHS counselling, does not require you try something else before being offered counselling.

Someone new to counselling might be afraid that they’ll be diagnosed with a mental illness. This FAQ explains how counsellors and psychotherapists are not psychiatrists and fears of counselling don’t need to keep you away if you might like to work through some emotional or cognitive matters that you feel may be holding you back.

Beginning counselling or group therapy is quite straightforward – and this article describes an easy overview of how you begin counselling/therapy with Dean Richardson

When UK Law allows anyone (currently) to describe themselves as a therapist or a counsellor, how do you protect yourself when searching for a therapists?

A brief overview of how counselling comes to an end

A brief overview of how counselling comes to an end

When considering counselling, how long does each counselling session last? Different therapists have different session lengths, but on average the usual time is 50 minutes.

Before beginning therapy, some people want to know: how long will counselling take? Wondering about much time might you stay in therapy is a sensible concern and most therapists will be able to help you with the question. This FAQ article discusses time in therapy.

How often will your counselling appointment be – and how often are group sessions held?

Protecting the confidentiality of the client is vital in counselling work – even when the client thinks that breaking confidentiality will benefit them in some way.

From time to time, changes need to occur within the counselling relationship. Talking about changes with the counsellor is the first step – some changes can be managed and some changes may have to be denied – but talking them through is a first step.

Problems occur from time to time between therapist and client – and sometimes this is where the real counselling work happens. But sometimes the problem is something that the client cannot work through and, instead, wishes to complain to someone about. This article summarises how you might raise a complaint about your counsellor.

How might you know if counselling is right for you?

How do you know if couple counselling might help your relationship?

Definitions of phrases, abbreviations and acronyms from lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans lifestyles.

A brief discussion on how couple counselling can be brought to an end – whether planned or unplanned.

Platonic relationships sometimes need help too. By using a qualified & experienced couple counsellor, intimate matters come off the agenda and relationship problems take focus. Working with Dean Richardson in Portsmouth, Hampshire or on Skype, assists platonic relationship to identify and resolve problems.

A common question I am asked at the start of counselling is: “Have you worked with this type of problem before?” The client wishes to believe that I can help them if I have successfully helped someone else who worked with the same problems in counselling. There is no guarantees that if I have worked with someone else’s issues that this will shine any promise on another client coming to counselling with the same problems … because counselling is not *done* to you, you are a participant in the process. This page gives a brief summary of some of the subjects that have been presented for counselling.

Confidentiality is one of the most vital services that a counsellor can provide for his client – but British law can have precedent over such confidentiality. A counsellor should discuss this during the first meeting with the client – and, where possible, should remind the client if the client strays into discussing illegal matters.

How much does counselling, psychotherapy and other therapies cost?

What is a counselling contract (or ‘agreement’), how do therapists use it, and what information goes into it.

A brief overview about what an assessment is for counselling, Before therapy commences, both client and therapist need to discuss what is required from therapy, and what the therapist can or cannot offer.

When a therapist says ‘our work is confidential’ does that mean exactly what you think it does – and has your counsellor told you exactly what confidentiality means to the counsellor?