Counselling is easier than you think - the practical side
When you're thinking about counselling, you might have concerns about the practicalities. What if you can't commit to the same time every week? What happens if you need to cancel? How does the technology work? Will you be tied in for months?
It's worth knowing that working with me is designed to be as straightforward and flexible as possible. Here's how the practical side works.
You don't have to commit to the same time every week
Many counselling practices work on a fixed appointment basis - you book the same slot each week and that becomes "your" time. For some people that works well, but for others it can feel like a barrier. What if your work schedule changes? What if you have caring responsibilities that make regular weekly appointments difficult? What if some weeks you're just not well enough to commit?
I have a completely flexible diary. We don't have to book you into the same slot every week. Instead, you can see all my availability and find the best time for you. I encourage clients to book at least a couple of sessions into the diary at any time - that way you're more likely to get the times that suit you best. At the end of each session we look at what you've already got booked and what you'll want to book next, and you book around your life.
You can reschedule or cancel without losing your money
If you need to reschedule a session, that's fine - as long as you give me 24 hours notice, you can move your appointment without charge. And if you need to cancel with more than 24 hours notice, I refund your fee. That's not always the case in counselling, and it removes one more barrier.
If you're going through cancer treatment, you might worry about booking in case you're not well enough when the appointment comes around. For serious and unexpected health crises, I waive the 24-hour requirement. The flexibility is there because it needs to be.
Booking and managing appointments is convenient
There's no need to phone or email and wait for me to get back to you. My online booking system means you can manage your appointments yourself, whenever you want. Book or rearrange a session at midnight if that suits you. It's one less thing to have to think about.
Connecting online is straightforward
If you're worried about the technology side of online counselling, it's simpler than you might think. I usually use Zoom - I'll email you a link, you click it, then click "join now". That's it. If you'd prefer, we can use WhatsApp video instead, or if you have poor phone signal, WhatsApp voice calls work too.
Some people prefer phone counselling to video. You could find it more comfortable talking without the camera on. That's completely fine. We can try different options and see what works for you.
You might not need as many sessions as you think
You don't have to commit to any particular number of sessions. Some people work over several weeks or months, whilst others have just a few sessions to work through something specific. Once you've got what you need for now, you might have a check-in or top-up session every month or two to see where you are and how you're doing.
There's no obligation to come more often than you can afford. To get momentum going though, fortnightly appointments are the minimum I'd recommend to begin with, and weekly works better. After a few sessions to get established, spacing sessions out more often can make sense. Very infrequent sessions at the start aren't advisable because it can feel like every session is the first one.
Every few sessions we'll review how things are going and think about what makes sense for future sessions.
First counselling sessions are low commitment
If you're reading this and wondering whether counselling with me might help, there's no pressure to decide now. A first counselling session is simply a conversation - a chance to talk about what's on your mind, whether that's what's been happening for you, your worries about counselling itself, or what you're hoping to achieve. You can find out more or ask any questions about how I work, you'll get a sense of whether my approach feels right, and you can decide afterwards whether you want to go ahead.
There's no obligation beyond that first appointment. If for any reason it doesn't feel like we're a good fit, you've not lost much and you've learned something about what you do or don't want from counselling. If it does feel helpful, we can book another session and take it from there.
https://www.carolinemidmorecounselling.co.uk/book-online
Caroline Midmore is an accredited counsellor working online and by phone with clients across the UK. She specialises in anxiety, insomnia, cancer, and sight loss. Her relational approach draws on evidence-based tools when helpful. Caroline is RNIB-accredited, NHS-trained in CBT for insomnia, and registered with BUPA, WPA, and AXA health insurance.