What to expect when you contact me

I am always happy to receive your enquiries and you are very welcome to get in touch. This is a brief guide which sets out what you can expect when you do.

I will reply to your enquiry-

I will reply to your enquiry within two working days. Clients regularly thank me for responding so quickly; I think I do this partly because I understand how it feels to be waiting with no idea about the timescale – I don’t like this feeling, and partly because a prompt response comprises part of the high quality service I provide.

If you have chosen a preferred method I will follow your choice which is usually either email or text.

My reply will go one of two ways:

• Hopefully, I will suggest we arrange an initial phone call.
• Regrettably, sometimes I am unable to pursue your enquiry because I don’t have any availability and my waiting list is closed. I close my waiting list when the likely waiting time is going to be several months rather than weeks.

Our first conversation-

I always arrange an exploratory call which usually lasts between fifteen and thirty minutes.

I will be curious about:

• Your previous experience of working with a therapist or coach.
• What has motivated you to seek this kind of support now?
• The benefits or changes you are seeking.

You may have some specific questions.

This is an opportunity for us to share more information and get a sense of each other. During the call I will be discovering if I think I will be able to help you and you can get a feel for this too. This is when we consider the service which we think will be the best fit for you.

Importantly, we can check how best we are able to coordinate our diaries.

At the end of the call we will have the choice to either make a decision to go ahead and agree to work together or take some time to reflect on our conversation before deciding. Either of us may want some more time and that’s okay.

This call is not what is commonly called a ‘discovery call’ when the aim is to sell and sign up clients.

Confirmation and welcome documents-

When we decide to work together I will send you an email with everything you will need tailored to the service I will be providing. Included will be:

• How to access my office if we are working in person or the Zoom invitation details if we are working online.
• The Contract – this outlines our agreement to work together and includes various themes such as, ethics, confidentiality, notes, timing of sessions, payment of fees, contact, and safety. I describe this as our ground rules and enables both of us to be clear about our expectations.
• Personal details form – I collect some personal details including your full name and address, your date of birth, your GP details if you live in the UK, details of any diagnoses related to your mental health, and details of any medication related to your mental health.
• Questionnaires relevant to our intended work.
• Details about when I will need to receive your response.

If you would like further clarity or I have missed something here which you feel is important for you to know about this initial stage of working with me, please contact me with your questions.