{"id":730,"date":"2015-02-18T14:53:02","date_gmt":"2015-02-18T14:53:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xml-io.proteusthemes.com\/mentalpress\/?page_id=28"},"modified":"2023-10-10T16:49:43","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T15:49:43","slug":"about-me","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bestlifecounselling.uk\/index.php\/about-me\/","title":{"rendered":"FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pl-730\"  class=\"panel-layout\" ><div id=\"pg-730-0\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-730-0-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-730-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_text panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"0\" >\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget\"><style>#sp-ea-922 .spcollapsing { height: 0; overflow: hidden; transition-property: height;transition-duration: 300ms;}#sp-ea-922.sp-easy-accordion>.sp-ea-single {margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #e2e2e2; }#sp-ea-922.sp-easy-accordion>.sp-ea-single>.ea-header a {color: #444;}#sp-ea-922.sp-easy-accordion>.sp-ea-single>.sp-collapse>.ea-body {background: #fff; color: #444;}#sp-ea-922.sp-easy-accordion>.sp-ea-single {background: #eee;}#sp-ea-922.sp-easy-accordion>.sp-ea-single>.ea-header a .ea-expand-icon { float: left; color: #444;font-size: 16px;}<\/style><div id=\"sp_easy_accordion-1691759751\"><div id=\"sp-ea-922\" class=\"sp-ea-one sp-easy-accordion\" data-ea-active=\"ea-click\" data-ea-mode=\"vertical\" data-preloader=\"\" data-scroll-active-item=\"\" data-offset-to-scroll=\"0\"><div class=\"ea-card sp-ea-single\"><h3 class=\"ea-header\"><a class=\"collapsed\" id=\"ea-header-9220\" role=\"button\" data-sptoggle=\"spcollapse\" data-sptarget=\"#collapse9220\" aria-controls=\"collapse9220\" href=\"#\" aria-expanded=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"ea-expand-icon eap-icon-ea-expand-plus\"><\/i> What will counselling be like?<\/a><\/h3><div class=\"sp-collapse spcollapse spcollapse\" id=\"collapse9220\" data-parent=\"#sp-ea-922\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"ea-header-9220\"> <div class=\"ea-body\"><div id=\"pg-736-0\" class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\"><div id=\"pgc-736-0-0\" class=\"panel-grid-cell\"><div id=\"panel-736-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_text panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"0\"><div class=\"textwidget\"><p>Counselling is a unique journey comprising of my approach, your needs, and the specific issue you bring\u00a0 That said, here\u2019s a list of some of the key parts of talking therapy with me:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Initial contact:<\/strong> You read my website and decide to schedule an initial assessment.\u00a0 During the initial assessment, I will ask questions about your background, personal history, current challenges, and goals for counselling.\u00a0 This helps me to understand your unique situation and develop a suitable treatment plan.<\/li><li><strong>Building rapport:<\/strong>\u00a0I\u2019ll do my best to establish trust and rapport between us.\u00a0 I\u2019ll create a supportive and non-judgmental environment to encourage open communication.<\/li><li><strong>Exploring thoughts and feelings:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0We\u2019ll explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours related to the challenges you are facing.\u00a0 I may use different techniques to help you gain insight and understanding of your emotions and behaviours.<\/li><li><strong>Setting goals:<\/strong>\u00a0Together, we\u2019ll set specific and achievable therapeutic goals. These goals guide the therapeutic process and provide direction for your personal growth and development.<\/li><li><strong>Developing coping strategies:<\/strong>\u00a0I will help you develop healthier coping mechanisms to deal with difficult emotions and life situations.\u00a0 If appropriate I may teach relaxation techniques (e.g. mindfulness), stress management strategies, or problem-solving skills.<\/li><li><strong>Uncovering patterns:<\/strong>\u00a0 You may discover patterns of thinking or behaviour that contribute to your challenges. Understanding these patterns can lead to personal growth and positive changes.<\/li><li><strong>Challenging beliefs:<\/strong>\u00a0I will help you identify and challenge negative or unhelpful beliefs you hold about yourself, others, the world, or the future.\u00a0 This process can lead to a shift in perspective and increased self-awareness.<\/li><li><strong>Support and validation:<\/strong>\u00a0 I\u2019ll provide emotional support and validation. Feeling understood and heard can be a significant source of comfort and healing.<\/li><li><strong>Progress and endings:<\/strong> We\u2019ll regularly assess your progress toward your goals.\u00a0 When you feel you have achieved your objectives or made significant improvements, we\u2019ll conclude the counselling process with a therapy review session.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-736-1\" class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\"><div id=\"pgc-736-1-0\" class=\"panel-grid-cell panel-grid-cell-mobile-last\"><div id=\"panel-736-1-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_text panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"2\"><div class=\"textwidget\"><p>Hopefully, this gives you an overview of what counselling with me might be like.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ea-card sp-ea-single\"><h3 class=\"ea-header\"><a class=\"collapsed\" id=\"ea-header-9221\" role=\"button\" data-sptoggle=\"spcollapse\" data-sptarget=\"#collapse9221\" aria-controls=\"collapse9221\" href=\"#\" aria-expanded=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"ea-expand-icon eap-icon-ea-expand-plus\"><\/i> Will it work?<\/a><\/h3><div class=\"sp-collapse spcollapse spcollapse\" id=\"collapse9221\" data-parent=\"#sp-ea-922\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"ea-header-9221\"> <div class=\"ea-body\"><div id=\"pg-738-0\" class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\"><div id=\"pgc-738-0-0\" class=\"panel-grid-cell\"><div id=\"panel-738-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_text panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"0\"><div class=\"textwidget\"><p>Whilst a successful outcome to therapy isn\u2019t certain, I believe there is good reason to be hopeful that it will work for you.\u00a0 This hopefulness is based on three reasons.\u00a0 Firstly, a strong body of research supports the efficacy of CBT.\u00a0 Secondly, based on this research the NHS is convinced of the efficacy and has adopted a CBT-based approach to make psychological services more widely available.\u00a0 Thirdly, my experience of working successfully with a range of clients and their issues.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-738-1\" class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\"><div id=\"pgc-738-1-0\" class=\"panel-grid-cell panel-grid-cell-mobile-last\"><div id=\"panel-738-1-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_text panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"2\"><div class=\"textwidget\"><p><strong>A strong body of research supports the efficacy of CBT<\/strong><\/p><p>Researchers argue that CBT is the current \u2018gold standard\u2019 of psychotherapy for three main reasons.\u00a0 Firstly, CBT is the most researched talking therapy.\u00a0 Secondly, systematic results generally favour CBT over other talking therapies.\u00a0 Thirdly, CBT mechanisms and theoretical models of change are in line with mainstream models of the human mind and behaviour.<\/p><p><strong>Approach validated by the NHS<\/strong><\/p><p>The NHS state that CBT can be effective for a range of psychological issues including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders \u2013 such as anorexia and bulimia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychosis, schizophrenia,\u00a0 sleep problems \u2013 such as insomnia, problems related to alcohol misuse.\u00a0 CBT is also sometimes used to treat people with long-term health conditions, such as: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia, and chronic pain.<\/p><p><strong>My experience is that most clients make progress towards their goals.<\/strong><\/p><p>I have successfully worked with clients with a range of issues including anxiety, depression, complex grief, self-limiting beliefs, OCD, and PTSD.\u00a0 I have also personal experience of the effectiveness of CBT for anxiety and self-limiting beliefs.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ea-card sp-ea-single\"><h3 class=\"ea-header\"><a class=\"collapsed\" id=\"ea-header-9222\" role=\"button\" data-sptoggle=\"spcollapse\" data-sptarget=\"#collapse9222\" aria-controls=\"collapse9222\" href=\"#\" aria-expanded=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"ea-expand-icon eap-icon-ea-expand-plus\"><\/i> What are the practicalities?<\/a><\/h3><div class=\"sp-collapse spcollapse spcollapse\" id=\"collapse9222\" data-parent=\"#sp-ea-922\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"ea-header-9222\"> <div class=\"ea-body\"><div id=\"pg-740-0\" class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\"><div id=\"pgc-740-0-0\" class=\"panel-grid-cell\"><div id=\"panel-740-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_text panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"0\"><div class=\"textwidget\"><p><strong>Duration\/length:<\/strong> I offer online and face-to-face work with men with a range of durations depending on your need.\u00a0 A brief intervention might be less than 1o sessions,\u00a0 longer-term work is also possible.\u200b\u200b We\u2019ll regularly review progress toward goals and plan what\u2019s needed.\u00a0 Each session lasts for 50 minutes.<\/p><p><strong>Initial assessment fee:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a325 (payment due when booking).<\/p><p><strong>Second and subsequent session fees:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a350 (payment due in advance).<\/p><p><strong>Payment:<\/strong>\u00a0I accept credit and debit cards.<\/p><p><strong>Location:<\/strong> Online and face-to-face in Leamington.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pgc-740-0-1\" class=\"panel-grid-cell\"><div id=\"panel-740-0-1-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_black-studio-tinymce widget_black_studio_tinymce panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"1\"><div class=\"textwidget\"><p><strong>Cancellation policy:\u00a0 <\/strong>My policy is if you give less than 24 hours' cancellation notice, then I reserve the right to charge half of the normal session fee.<\/p><p><strong>Late policy:<\/strong> If you arrive late then I may not be able to extend the session, as this will affect my other appointments.<\/p><p><strong>No-shows policy:<\/strong>\u00a0 If you don\u2019t show up for a booked session without any prior communication, then I reserve the right to charge the full amount for the session, as I will be making myself available to you during this time.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ea-card sp-ea-single\"><h3 class=\"ea-header\"><a class=\"collapsed\" id=\"ea-header-9223\" role=\"button\" data-sptoggle=\"spcollapse\" data-sptarget=\"#collapse9223\" aria-controls=\"collapse9223\" href=\"#\" aria-expanded=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"ea-expand-icon eap-icon-ea-expand-plus\"><\/i> Why work with Ben?<\/a><\/h3><div class=\"sp-collapse spcollapse spcollapse\" id=\"collapse9223\" data-parent=\"#sp-ea-922\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"ea-header-9223\"> <div class=\"ea-body\"><div id=\"pg-730-0\" class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\"><div id=\"pgc-730-0-0\" class=\"panel-grid-cell\"><div id=\"panel-730-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_text panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"0\"><div class=\"textwidget\"><p>The main reasons that you may want to work with me are:<\/p><ul><li>COUNSELLING EXPERTISE.\u00a0 I have been rigorously trained to Foundation Degree level (FdSc) in one of the most effective talking therapies (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy).\u00a0 During my thirteen years in the voluntary sector (as a listening volunteer, mentor, and facilitator) and my clinical placements (as a CBT therapist), I have worked with a wide range of clients and presenting issues including low self-esteem, grief, relationship issues, PTSD, anxiety, depression, OCD, identity issues, and suicidal ideation.<\/li><li>ETHICAL PRACTICE.\u00a0 I\u2019m a member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and adhere to their\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bacp.co.uk\/events-and-resources\/ethics-and-standards\/ethical-framework-for-the-counselling-professions\/\">ethical framework.<\/a><\/li><li>BROAD LIFE EXPERIENCE.\u00a0 I have five years experience of being a listening volunteer at the Samaritans and seven years of experience as a mentor, leader, and facilitator at <a href=\"https:\/\/abandofbrothers.org.uk\/\">ABandOfBrothers<\/a>\u00a0charity.\u00a0 I also have twenty-five years of experience in the IT industry in various leadership and consultancy roles.\u00a0 I\u2019m a father and a husband.<\/li><li>EMPATHY.\u00a0 I know what it is to suffer emotionally (e.g. self-limiting beliefs and anxiety) and what it is to grow.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pgc-730-0-1\" class=\"panel-grid-cell\"><div id=\"panel-730-0-1-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_black-studio-tinymce widget_black_studio_tinymce panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"1\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"pg-730-1\" class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\"><div id=\"pgc-730-1-0\" class=\"panel-grid-cell panel-grid-cell-mobile-last\"><div id=\"panel-730-1-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_text panel-first-child panel-last-child\" data-index=\"2\"><div class=\"textwidget\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What will counselling be like? Counselling is a unique journey comprising of my approach, your needs, and the specific issue you bring\u00a0 That said, here\u2019s a list of some of the key parts of talking therapy with me:Initial contact: You read my website and decide to schedule an initial assessment.\u00a0 During the initial assessment, I &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-730","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestlifecounselling.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/730","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestlifecounselling.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestlifecounselling.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestlifecounselling.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestlifecounselling.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=730"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/bestlifecounselling.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/730\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":968,"href":"https:\/\/bestlifecounselling.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/730\/revisions\/968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestlifecounselling.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}