Creating the right environment for therapy

Creating and sustaining the right physical and emotional environment is critical to successful therapy.

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I work to foster a dedicated safe space in which you and your agenda come first and where your thoughts, feelings and emotions are front and centre, so that you can feel seen, heard, understood and supported.

 

But how is this achieved?

 

In the beginning, my immediate focus is on providing an environment that is warm and welcoming.  I want therapy to feel like your safe haven, away from the pressures and interruptions of everyday life.  Being in a comfortable, quiet and private location is key to that aim.

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I want you to feel accepted as the unique person that you are right now, by giving you an immediate sense that you are being unconditionally listened to with patience, sensitivity and empathy, without judgement or criticism and with absolutely no subject being off-limits.

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If (and only if) it is your wish, we can discuss whether you would like to bring any cultural, religious or spiritual factors into therapy to any extent.  If you do, we will discuss how we may do that and whether it should happen from the outset or at a later stage.  In any event, absolutely no judgements shall be made with regards to your beliefs or whether/how you choose to apply them.

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Even with my best efforts, as you step into this process and perhaps also for the first few sessions, it is completely normal to feel nervous, especially if you're not used to speaking about very private aspects of your life.  I always encourage clients to let me know at the outset if they feel particularly nervous and if you are, I can help you gain more confidence and comfort as we go forward.

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We will move forward at your pace, having explorative and collaborative discussions as equals and with an ability to discuss your thoughts and feelings freely, but only to the extent that you can manage.  As we do so, I will take a respectful, compassionate and caring approach, underpinned by the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists’ Ethical Framework which ensures the highest standards of ethics and confidentiality.

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If I can I earn your trust over time, my hope is that you can be your natural and true self in our sessions, using the environment that we have created together in order to explore, reflect, heal and grow.