What actually happens when you start counselling?

lbtherapy2
May 5
3 min read

Starting counselling can feel like a big step. Especially if you’ve been holding yourself together for a long time -doing your best not to show others how much things feel like a struggle, or how often your own needs go unmet.

You might have been thinking about it for a while.Going back and forth. Wondering if it’s “bad enough” to reach out. You don’t have to have it all figured out before you begin.

Here’s a gentle overview of what you can expect if you decide you wanted to reach out.

1) Reaching Out

Most people start by getting in touch or booking a free call. You don’t need to know exactly what to say. You don’t need the right words. Just reaching out is enough.

You can contact me via my website, social media, or email.

From there, I’ll respond with some simple next steps so you know what to expect.

2) A First Conversation

I offer a free, no-obligation call. (Held via whatsapp voice call due to signal issues at my location!)

This is a chance for us to:

Talk a little about what’s brought you here
Explore what you might need
See if working together feels right

There’s no pressure to commit. It’s simply a conversation - a space to begin.

From there, we can talk things through at a high level so I can make sure I’m the right support for you, and you can get a feel for whether you’d feel comfortable working together.

3) Getting Started

If you decide to move forward, I’ll send over a few simple forms and some practical information. This helps create a clear, contained space from the beginning -so you know where you stand and what to expect.

We’ll agree a time for your sessions and begin at a pace that feels manageable for you.

4) Your First Session

The first session is about arriving. There’s no pressure to “get everything out” or explain your whole story. You can take your time.

We’ll start with what feels most present for you right now, and go from there.

5) Ongoing Sessions

This is where the work gently unfolds. We might explore:

Patterns you’ve noticed in yourself or your relationships
Feelings that have been pushed down or are hard to express
The pressure of always holding it all together

Sometimes things will start to make more sense.Sometimes it might feel uncomfortable or unfamiliar. That’s a natural part of the process. You won’t be rushed through it, we go at your pace, and you aren't alone.

6) Making Sense of Things

A lot of people come to counselling believing there’s something wrong with them.

But often, what we begin to uncover is: You’re not broken. Your pain makes sense.

The ways you’ve learned to cope have often been necessary at some point in your life.

Together, we begin to understand those patterns -not to judge them, but to gently explore whether they still serve you now.

7) Moving Forward

Over time, you may start to notice small shifts:

Pausing before saying yes
Feeling your emotions rather than pushing them away
Setting boundaries, even when it feels uncomfortable
Beginning to trust yourself a little more

Change doesn’t usually happen all at once, it builds, slowly and steadily.

8) Ending Therapy

When the time feels right, we’ll begin to talk about ending.

This isn’t something that happens suddenly. We’ll reflect on your journey, what’s changed, and what you’re taking with you. Endings can bring up mixed feelings - and we make space for that too.

9) After Therapy

The aim isn’t for you to need counselling forever.

It’s for you to carry something with you:

A deeper understanding of yourself

A greater sense of steadiness

And the knowledge that you can suport yourself, including knowing you can return to therapy as a support when life shifts, as it inevitably does

A Different Kind of Space

I aim to make the environment in which we work as supportive and comfortable as possible, I have created a nature inspired room set on a farm away from the hustle and bustle of day to day life, a micro escape and reset.

Sessions can take place:

In-person in a calm countryside setting in Wickham
Online
Or as walk-and-talk sessions outdoors

However we work together, the intention is the same:

To offer a space where you don’t have to perform, pretend, or hold it all together.

Just somewhere you can be.

If you’re thinking about starting counselling, you’re welcome to get in touch or book a free call. You don’t need to be certain. You just need to be curious enough to take the first step. You don't have to do this on your own anymore.