Questions people ask

The call is twenty minutes on the phone or on Zoom, and it costs nothing. You tell me, in whatever words you have, what is going on and what you would like to be different. I tell you how I would approach it, whether I think I am the right person, and what a first session would look like. There is no obligation to go further and no pressure on the call. If I think someone else would serve you better, I will say so and refer you on to someone suitable where possible.

You book through the calendar on the booking page, which shows my real availability, and choose the free call or a session. A session is paid for by card at the time of booking. You then receive a confirmation email with the time, the address in Tansley or the Zoom link, and a link to move the appointment if you need to. If a confirmation to your usual email address would not be safe for you, tell me on the call and we will arrange it another way.

It depends on what you bring and how you work, so I would rather not give a number before we have spoken. Some people come for a handful of sessions around one thing, such as exam nerves or a habit. Trauma work takes longer, because it starts with safety and stability before anything else. We agree a plan in the first session and review it as we go. You are never committed to a block of sessions; you pay for each one as you book it.

Yes. Many people come to me while they are on a waiting list, and there is no rule against having private therapy in the meantime. It is worth telling the NHS service, so that the two do not work at cross purposes when your place comes up, and whether it affects your place on the list is for them to say. We can agree at the start whether you would want to continue with me, hand over, or do both. Getting support now, rather than waiting, is often the right call.

Hypnosis feels like a state of deep, focused relaxation, and most people say it feels like the moments before sleep or the absorption of a good book. You stay aware the whole time, you can hear everything, and you can speak if you want to. It is calmer and more ordinary than television and stage hypnosis suggests. The first session includes a short introductory relaxation, so you know what it feels like before we use it for anything.

No. Hypnosis is not something done to you; it is a state you allow yourself into, and you remain in control throughout. You cannot be made to do or say anything you would not choose to, and you would simply open your eyes if anything felt wrong. Stage hypnosis relies on volunteers who want to perform, which is nothing like a therapy room. What we work on, and how far we go, is agreed with you first.

Yes, at any point and for any reason, and you do not need to explain why. In hypnosis you can open your eyes and bring yourself out of it whenever you want, and I check in with you as we go. In counselling we can pause, change direction or finish early if that is what you need. You set the pace, and I will not push you past it.

No. The first sessions are about safety and stability, and about you finding what helps you feel steadier in yourself. You never have to describe anything you are not ready to describe, and you never have to relive it. You choose what you want to share and when.

EMDR incorporating hypnosis works with how a memory is held rather than needing a full account of it. Many people find they say less than they expected to, and that is fine.

EMDR stands for eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing. It is a recognised therapy for trauma in which you hold a memory in mind while following a side-to-side movement or tapping, which helps the brain process the memory so that it loses its charge. I combine it with hypnosis, using relaxation and imagery to help you feel settled and resourced before, during and after the processing. It is done in short sections of time, with you in control of the time between, and only when you are ready.

Yes. Having therapy while a police investigation or a court case is ongoing is allowed, and the Crown Prosecution Service publishes guidance on how it should be done. It affects how I keep my notes and what I say if they are requested, not whether you can have help. We will talk it through at the start, so you know exactly what is recorded. The choice to have therapy now rather than wait is yours.

No. You do not need a diagnosis of PTSD, or of anything else, to work with me, and you do not need a referral. What matters is what you are living with now, not what it is called. If you do have a diagnosis, tell me, because it helps me understand what you have already been through in getting it. If I think an assessment by your GP or a specialist would help you, I will say so.

No. I am not a crisis service, and I am not available between sessions in an emergency. If you are in immediate danger, or feel you might act on thoughts of ending your life, call 999 or go to A&E. For other urgent support, NHS 111 offers 24-hour support by phone with a psychological wellbeing practitioner, and Samaritans are on 116 123 if you are struggling to cope. The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is free and open 24 hours on 0808 2000 247, and the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line is on 0808 500 2222. Therapy with me is for when you are safe enough to start looking at what happened.

Yes, tell me what you are taking, and it matters in a helpful way. I have been a pharmacist since 1992, so I understand how your medicine works, what it can and cannot do, and what you might notice when starting, stopping or changing a dose. That helps me judge whether something you describe is a side effect, the condition itself, or something we can work on together. I can explain your medication to you in plain terms, and many people tell me nobody has done that before. I don't prescribe or change medication; that stays with you and your GP.

No. I don't prescribe or change medication; that stays with you and your prescriber. I will never tell you to stop something, and I will never suggest that therapy is a replacement for treatment you have been prescribed. What I can do is help you understand what you are taking, prepare the questions to ask your prescriber, and support you through changes your GP, psychiatrist or other prescriber has agreed with you. If I think a conversation with your GP would help, I will say so and leave the decision with you.

It is your choice, and you do not need their permission. I usually suggest it, because it helps your GP see the whole picture, especially if your medication is being reviewed. With your consent I can write to your GP to say we are working together; without it, I will not. If you would rather your GP did not know, that stays between us, within the limits described under confidentiality.

Not on its own, and I would never suggest it as a way to stop. Coming off any medication for anxiety or depression is a decision for you and your GP, and it needs to be done gradually and with support. What I can do is help with the anxiety, sleep or stress that the medication has been treating, so that if your GP agrees to reduce it, you have other things in place. I have seen many people through that process as a pharmacist, and I know what to look for. I don't prescribe or change medication; that stays with you and your GP or other prescriber.

Yes. What you tell me stays between us, within the limits that apply to every registered therapist. I keep brief notes, securely, and nobody else sees them. I would only share information without your consent where the law requires it, where a court orders it, or where you or someone else is at serious risk of harm, and wherever possible I would talk to you first. If you are involved in a police case, we will discuss what that means for my notes at the start. During the first session, we will discuss confidentiality and I will clearly outline the limits that I work within.

My practice is in Tansley, near Matlock, in Derbyshire. I also work on Zoom, and everything I offer, including hypnotherapy and EMDR incorporating hypnosis, works online. Some people prefer to meet in person for the first session and move online later; others do the whole thing from home. Choose whichever suits you when you book, and you can change your mind for later sessions.

Yes. You are welcome to bring a friend or family member to the first session; they usually are not in the therapy room, but can stay in another room whilst we talk, or to have them wait nearby, whichever helps you feel steadier. Just let me know when you book. For children, a parent or guardian would stay in the room with them, and for teenagers, we work out what is best with them.

Yes. I am an Anxiety UK Approved Therapist, which means members of the charity can be referred to me through its therapy service, often at a reduced cost that depends on your circumstances. You arrange it with Anxiety UK rather than with me: join as a member, ask for therapy, and choose me from their list. If you come to me directly instead, the usual fee applies. The details are on the Anxiety UK website.

Please let me know at least 48 hours before your session if you need to cancel or move it, which you can do from the link in your confirmation email. If you cancel between 24 and 48 hours before, 50% of the session fee may be charged, and with less than 24 hours to go, the full fee, because the time cannot be offered to someone else. If you are unwell or something unavoidable happens, tell me and we will sort it out.