I am very proud to announce that I can now offer face to face session from a premesis in Chester. The new location will be in George Street, opposite the bus station, in the city centre. Sessions held in Chester will also come with free parking space for the duration of the session.

I would also like to announce that I have become a registered member of the BACP which is something I’ve been aiming for since becoming a counsellor.

I’ve always offered 3 ways to work with clients, they are face to face, online or phone and I have been asked which is best? There is no correct answer to this, from a client point of view it is whatever they are comfortable with. Many clients will only start with face to face sessions but once the theraputic relationship has been established they are happy to move online. Some clients may not want to move online due to a lack of a private space for the session or due to insufficient IT abilities.

I’ve also been asked the question which do I prefare out of face to face, online or phone? Once again there isn’t a simple answer, each has its advantages and disadvantages. In face to face counselling a key moment can be when the clients facial expression/body language is at odds with what they are saying. A client may say something made them angry but they may look really sad when staying it. When this is pointed out it may change their perception of the incident or even a belief and this can be very powerful. This may happen with online counselling, facial expressions can be seen but full body language may not be so easy to read.
Clients with severe social anxiety may struggle with face to face meetings and they may feel very anxious and stressed just to attend the session. Phone counselling is often preferable in this case. The client can be in a calming familiar environment and will not feel judged in any way. Phone counselling can also lead to clients talking much more deeply about their emotions. Sitting alone in a familiar setting puts them at ease and they often feel comfortable enough to talk about very personal feelings and experiences. From a counsellor’s point of view this can be really useful, you may not be able to see facial expressions and body language but you can pick up changes in the tone of the voice and this can be discussed.