How I work
Everything in one place: what our conversations are like, how a session works, and the practical choices around meeting. Open only the parts you need.
The work
The main pages tell you who I work with. Here is what actually happens when we get into it.
My style and approachDirect, active and still your choice.
We start with what is happening
You do not need a polished account. We begin with what brought you here, including the part that is hard to explain. I listen carefully, ask questions and slow the conversation down enough to see what may be missed when you are inside it.
We look underneath the repeat
I may interrupt a familiar loop, reflect the difference between what was intended and what landed, or offer another way to understand it. I share what I see; you decide what to do with it. The aim is a clearer position and a useful next move, not a script to follow.
Sometimes that feels relieving; sometimes a fair reflection is uncomfortable. You can question or disagree with me. The work is a collaboration, not a verdict; I am on your side.
Working with couplesHow joint and separate sessions can fit.
Both people matter
I do not pick a winner or decide whether you should stay together. I make room for both experiences and help you notice what happens between you when the same argument returns. If the conversation speeds up or one voice disappears, I can step in and bring it back to something we can examine.
Beginning together or apart
You can start together, separately, or use a mix if that helps us work. A solo first session can give someone space to find their words; it does not commit either of you to a fixed route. Before any individual conversations within couples work, we agree how privacy and joint work will fit. I will not invent a blanket confidentiality promise for a situation we have not discussed.
I work for each person and for a more useful conversation between you. You each remain responsible for what you choose beyond the room.
Working individuallyPatterns, relationships and decisions.
There is no required starting story
We can look at a repeating situation, a relationship, a decision, or a response you want to understand. You may arrive knowing exactly what you want to tackle or only knowing that something feels stuck.
An honest exchange
I listen and also offer a view when that is useful. We can test an explanation you have carried for years, notice what is happening now, and find options that are genuinely yours. I will not tell you who to be or make the decision for you.
Your paceNo assumed weekly commitment.
You choose whether to return
You’re always in control of how often you book. There is no requirement to commit to ongoing therapy. Some work benefits from continuity; sometimes one focused session is enough to make a useful difference. We can discuss what might help, and you decide whether and when to book again.
There is no need to perform progress for me. We can review whether the work is useful as we go, change focus, take a break or finish.
The session
The practical shape of a first meeting and what it feels like to be in one.
What does a session look like?From booking to a real conversation.
Before we meet
Choose an available phone, video or in-person service and length on the booking route. You do not need to write your story in advance or know the right way to start.
In the room or on the call
We start with what brought you here. I will make space for you to speak, ask questions, reflect what I notice and help us stay with the useful part rather than circling the same account. For couples, I work to hear both of you and can guide the conversation when it becomes hard to hear one another.
Afterwards
We can look at what you are taking away and whether another session would help. You decide what to do next and whether to book again. There is no automatic weekly programme.
If the first session does not feel rightRoom to stop within the first 30 minutes.
Your first booking is a real session. If either of us feels within the first 30 minutes that it is not the right fit, we can stop, and I will refund the session fee in full. If it feels right, we continue the session.
The separate free 15-minute questions call is for practical information about working together and booking; it is not a sample therapy session. Read the working agreement for the current terms.
Length and frequencyChoose time that fits the conversation.
The current booking route offers 60, 90 and 120-minute paid sessions for phone, video and in-person work. Choose the service and duration shown there. A longer session can give a complex conversation more room; it is not a requirement or a promise of a different outcome.
How often you come is a separate choice. We can talk about a useful rhythm, but you control the next booking. Current prices and availability are confirmed in the booking route.
In person in St Helens, by video or by phone
Choose the setting that helps you speak freely. The work is a full session in each format.
In person in St HelensA private space to talk face to face.
Meet in my St Helens session space at 10 Pool End, St Helens, WA9 3RE. A private space where you can talk face to face with me.
See the directions page before travelling. If a practical access detail matters, ask before booking.
By videoFace to face without the journey.
Video gives us visual contact while you join from a place that works for you. Find somewhere private where you can speak freely, with a stable connection and enough time to settle into the conversation.
Your booking provides the joining details, with a Zoom video link sent by email. Open it about five minutes before the start to check your connection; I will join at the booked time. If the connection fails, use the contact details on your booking so we can agree what to do.
By phoneA close conversation without a screen.
I do some of my best work by phone. It can feel surprisingly close while giving you more freedom to speak without being face to face. You can settle somewhere private that feels comfortable to you, and we can get straight to what matters. If you are curious, you can try a phone session and choose another format next time.
It is a full therapy session. The available lengths are shown in the booking route. The free 15-minute questions call is a separate information service.
The practical frame
A clear agreement helps the conversation feel safe enough to do real work.
Ethics, privacy and boundariesWhat holds the work.
What we agree
We should be clear about the service, its limits, privacy, payment and what to do if something is not working. Your information is treated confidentially, with limits explained in the working agreement and privacy policy. Confidentiality is not an absolute promise in every circumstance, including serious risk or legal obligations.
Professional accountability
Supervision, competence, boundaries and honest discussion of concerns are part of a sound practice frame. The BACP Ethical Framework gives the professional principles. If something about our work concerns you, tell me so we can address it directly. If you would rather seek independent guidance, BACP can help with counselling concerns. The working agreement sets out the formal details.
Questions and contact
Choose a session or ask something practical first.
Book a session. For practical questions about working together or booking, you can book a free 15-minute questions call. The call is planned and is not a therapy session.
If you prefer to write, use the contact page. Please send a message rather than calling without a booking; I keep calls for booked times. This is not an urgent crisis route.
Still have a practical question? Browse the grouped FAQ ↗
If things feel stuck, this is where you start.
Book a session, and we’ll get to work. You choose whether we meet in St Helens, by video or by phone.