Lizzie Buckwell Counselling
Counselling in Alton, Hampshire
FAQs
No, while many people have counselling for these reasons, there are numerous other reasons, such as relationship issues. Counselling can be utilised as both a preventative measure to avoid reaching crisis point and can provide self-care. Having a regular appointment to discuss whatever is on your mind will help you manage and regulate your emotions, allowing you to prevent emotional overload. Furthermore, having a deeper understanding can help to create healthy coping strategies, improved relationships and resilience, culminating in considerable personal growth.
No, anyone can self-refer at any time.
Absolutely not! The role of a counsellor is not to provide advice, not to make your decisions for you, or dictate your actions.
Each of us possesses a distinct lived experience along with our individual values, attitudes, and beliefs that contribute to our uniqueness. While there may be similarities, it would be naïve to assume that what worked for another client would suit you and your needs. I am here to assist you in exploring your feelings, motivations, thoughts, and experiences while providing guidance through my skills and expertise. This can help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your relationships. These insights will enable you to create coping strategies that can assist you in navigating life's challenges, empowering you to discover the most effective path forward for yourself.
The duration of each session is 50 minutes. Kindly be aware that appointments cannot be extended to make up for late arrivals.
Ideally sessions typically occur on a weekly basis, preferably at the same time. We can find a time that works well for both of us, considering your other commitments. However, if you wish to attend every other week, that is fine too. There is some flexibility in this. It is important that the sessions accommodate your needs and personal circumstances.
I have a few time slots available on a Saturday afternoon. Additionally, I am available for sessions in the late afternoon and evenings on certain weekdays. Kindly inform me of your availability, and I will strive to accommodate you accordingly.
It really depends on you and what you hope to achieve during our time together. I provide both short-term and open-ended therapy options. During our first meeting, we'll chat about what you need, what you're hoping for and then develop a plan together. We'll have regular reviews to make sure you're getting the most out of the sessions and to adjust for any changes in your circumstances or needs.
My fee is £50 for a 50-minute session. The cost takes account of my training, overheads, and operational expenses as an ethical and professional practitioner. I will notify you as soon as I can of any price increases (with at least one month’s notice). Reduced rates are offered for trainee counsellors.
It really depends on what you're facing and your preferred way of working. Some clients need to talk, while others like to explore their thoughts and feelings in a more creative way. In these situations, we can include games or other creative strategies such as SandStory Therapy® in our sessions to help explore and express your emotions more freely. Additionally, it can be really helpful sometimes to enhance your understanding by incorporating some aspects of psychoeducation, such as with anxiety issues.
Payments can be made in cash or via bank transfer prior to the session.
Because of the nature of counselling, we will occasionally discuss particularly painful situations and emotions. While this can be difficult for some clients at times, I will always try to respect your comfort level and never encourage you to go further than what feels right for you.
If feasible, take a break after the session to recover and reflect before returning to your normal routine.
Unfortunately, because my counselling room is up one flight of stairs, those with restricted mobility may have difficulty accessing it.
The in-person counselling sessions take place at Pure Alternative Therapy's counselling room at Victoria Road, Alton GU34 2DD. There is a public car park, Victoria Road Car Park, GU34 2DB, which is a short walk from the counselling room.
Yes, there is a comfortable waiting room at Pure Alternative Therapy, and you are welcome to sit there if you are waiting for your child/young person whilst they are having their counselling session.
Please ensure that you do not arrive more than 5 minutes early for your session to avoid client overlap and maintain confidentiality.
If parents/guardians wish to leave the building whilst their child/young person is having their counselling session, it is important they keep their mobile phone switched on so I can contact them if there is an emergency. Parents/guardians should also be aware that I cannot be responsible for the safety of young clients outside of session times, so it is important that parents/guardians are prompt collecting their child/young person.
Yes, I can offer counselling services via online or telephone options. I am pleased to work online or over the phone, if that suits your preference or personal situation. I use either Google Meet or Zoom. It is essential to ensure that you have a quiet and confidential space where you will not be disturbed or overheard, should you choose to proceed with this way of engaging in counselling sessions.
Engaging in counselling is entirely your decision, and you have the freedom to stop attending whenever you feel is right for you. I kindly request that you give at least one week's notice, if possible, as having an ending session is beneficial. If you find the sessions unhelpful, please feel free to bring this to my attention at any time so we can explore the best path forward for you.
Please inform me as early as you can if you are unable to attend due to holidays, illness, or other commitments. Cancellations occurring within 24 hours of the session will incur a charge. While rescheduling might be an option, it cannot be assured.
I will make every effort to provide ample notice if I am unable to attend, suggesting alternative time slots when feasible.
I am a registered member of the British Association of Counsellors & Psychotherapists (BACP). This means that I adhere to their ethical framework and professional code of conduct, which includes my commitment to maintaining client confidentiality.
Counselling is a private and confidential form of support, and it is important that this is respected. This helps clients to feel safe to share personal information and their deepest feelings and thoughts. However, there are a few occasions where I will need to breach this, including if I feel you are at risk of harm to yourself or someone else or if you have broken certain laws. In these cases, if possible, I would speak to you about this first.
As part of my commitment to ethical practice, I also review my work with a qualified BACP supervisor regularly. Any information shared is anonymised and the supervisor is also ethically bound to uphold client confidentiality.
For more information on how personal information is processed and stored, please see my data protection policy which is given on this website.
If by chance we have an accidental meeting in an environment outside of our scheduled counselling appointment, your private life shall be respected, and I shall expect the same courtesy. If you wish to say a brief greeting, I shall return the pleasantry, but I will also be respecting our confidentiality agreement and appropriate boundaries. This same respect for boundaries should extend to any pursual of a befriending relationship outside of our session and will be discouraged.
The same applies to befriending through any social media platform. This is to ensure a positive relationship between the client (child, young person), parent/carer, and the counsellor, thus avoiding any accidental harm.
I'm happy to let you know that I've completed an enhanced DBS check, and I'm more than willing to share it with you. I have also completed thorough safeguarding and Prevent training.
During our first meeting, I would like to meet with both you and your child/young person. This will give us a chance to get to know each other better. I will aim to answer any questions you might have, and we can discuss expectations and what you hope your child/young person will gain from counselling. If you're a parent/guardian, feel free to share any extra background information with me privately if you think it will be useful to the counselling process.
Sessions are typically only for the client, although your child/young person may want you to come into the counselling room for a few minutes until they feel more at ease, which is also acceptable.
However, parents/guardians should be aware that these are the child/young person’s sessions, as they are the client. It is important they have a confidential space to talk about whatever they need to get the most out of the sessions. Whatever is spoken about during the sessions is confidential between myself and all my clients, including children and young people. Nevertheless, there are certain instances where this confidentiality will need to be breached, such as some safeguarding issues. We will talk about these situations in more detail when we have our first session.
Yes, I do. I keep a limited number of notes and information on your file. This will be kept in accordance with GDPR legislation. Information held in no manner violates your rights under the Data Protection Act of 1998 to access personal data that I hold about you. All records are securely stored for up to 7 years, or 7 years following the age of 18, before being destroyed according to policy.
If I am unable to work due to an unexpected illness or death, I have arranged a clinical will where a trusted and responsible BACP-registered counsellor, who respects confidentiality and follows GDPR regulations, will act for me in my absence. They will inform clients about what has happened and will provide appropriate support.
Unfortunately, I am unable to work with clients that are adopted who wish to work around issues relating to adoption. However, I am able to work with clients who are 18 and over around other unrelated issues. Please contact Barnardos for support with adoption issues and young people under 18 years who are adopted.