“Need” is a strong word here, so it might be more helpful to think in terms of usefulness and timing. I believe most of us can benefit from having a space to talk and reflect at some point in our lives. Trust your instinct - if you have been wondering about counselling recently or for a while, then it is worth exploring.

The prescription of psychopharmaceutical drugs is the territory of psychiatrists or GPs, who can give you information and evaluate the need for medication. Therapy can work alongside medication.

Any therapist should be sufficiently qualified, and practice ethically and professionally. A good indication of that is the membership of a governing body such as the BACP or UKCP. Apart from that, it is unique to each client, whether the counsellor is a good fit. It is perfectly ok and even encouraged for clients to ‘shop around’ and speak to a few different therapists, and see which person feels like the best fit.

In general: get in touch with one counsellors and see how it feels to speak to them. If you like, you can contact others as well and get a sense of who feels like the best fit.

If you would like to work with me: Click “Get in touch” on the top right and contact me. We go from there, with no obligation.

Do speak to them. It might be interesting to reflect together what it is that creates the dislike. This can give you access to valuable insights and change the relationship. If however you feel you do not want to continue seeing them, you can end the work anytime. Talking about this ending and giving it some space and time is encouraged.

You may want to reflect on what “it’s not working” means for you and discuss this with your therapist. Exploring what your expectations were, how you measure progress and what success would look like to you can prove very valuable and give you insight into your processes, the work and the relationship with your counsellor.

Could you contact just one counsellor? Any therapist who offers a free initial chat, whether that is the first person on a directory, a random Google result, or myself as you are already here. Not only does this show you that you can take action, but you also have that free chat to explore what you might need at the moment and get some clarity. The counsellor may also be able to signpost you, if they are not the right fit.

It depends. On your expectations, problems, goals, hopes, and more. Some clients want to discuss a specific issues within a 6-week timeframe, others work with the same counsellor for many years. The length of the work is unique to you and your process. Unless you set a specific duration (for example for financial or other practical reasons), it is hard to foresee when an ending will feel organic and the work feels sufficient.