Question 1

Do you work with Young People as well as Adults?

Accepted Answer

I am qualified to work with both adults and young people aged 11 and over.
My initial 3 years of training resulted in a qualification to work with adults and I continue to enjoy this side of my practice. 
However I have also undertaken additional training in order to work with children and young people, and have experience working in a number of schools.

Question 2

Is everything we discuss confidential?

Accepted Answer

Confidentiality is the cornerstone of counselling and necessary for the work to be effective. I work in line with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework. This means that everything we discuss is confidential except for limited circumstances such as if there is a risk of serious harm to yourself or to some one else. I work transparently and will provide you with our agreement which explains this clearly and we will discuss it in our first session so that you can ask me any questions.

Question 3

How many sessions will I need?

Accepted Answer

I offer both Long-term and Short-term counselling, and we can discuss the best option for you. Sometimes just a few sessions is all a person needs to make a difference, however other people find they need to build a relationship and explore deeper through longer-term therapy. We are all different, and there is no right or wrong.

Question 4

How long are the sessions?

Accepted Answer

Sessions for adults are 1 hour long.
Sessions for under 18 years old's are 50 minutes.

Question 5

Where does the counselling take place?

Accepted Answer

I work from a private, designated room within my home which is designed to be warm and welcoming. 
There is ample free parking.
I also offer counselling online via Zoom.

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Question 6

Is your counselling room accessible?

Accepted Answer

There is one small step up to the front door.
There is a righthand turn into the therapy room from the hallway that might be tricky for some wheelchairs.
I am happy to have a trial run for accessibility before a first appointment to see if you feel comfortable accessing the room.
There are no toilet facilities on site.

Question 7

Can we talk before booking an appointment?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! 
It is really important that you find a counsellor who feels right for you, and it is also important that we both feel we can work together.
I offer a free 20 minute telephone conversation before you book so that I can answer any questions you may have and help you decide whether you would like to book an initial session.
I am always happy to offer referrals where necessary so that you can find the help you need.

Question 8

How do I book an appointment?

Accepted Answer

Simply click on the Next Steps tab and fill in the short contact form. I will then get back to you to arrange a free 20 minute phone call so that we can discuss the support you are looking for and so you can ask any questions you may have. That way you can get to know me, and how I work, before we decide to meet.

Alternatively you can call me on 07555 961070 or email me at counselling@ellenvintner.org. (counselling@ellenvintner.org.)
If  I am unable to take your call then just leave me a voicemail and I will return your call as soon I am free.

Question 9

What if I need to cancel an appointment?

Accepted Answer

Sometime life gets in the way and we need to cancel an appointment, I completely understand this.

Cancellations made with 48 hours notice or more are free of charge. 
Cancellations made with less then 48 hours but more than 24 hours notice are charged at 50%.
Sessions cancelled with less then 24 hours notice given are charged at the full rate.

Question 10

What is Person-Centred Counselling?

Accepted Answer

Person-centred counselling is one of the humanistic modalities that counsellors are trained in. The name most associated with the person-centred approach is Carl Rogers who believed that given the right conditions, a person can reach their full potential and become their true self. This process was termed 'actualisation' and is within each of us and accessible to us.

To help you in this process the person-centred therapist will offer you the following:

• Unconditional Positive Regard which is a non-judgmental accepting of all parts of you, along with a deep respect and valuing of you.
 • Congruence which means that the counsellor will be authentic and genuine in relating to you, drawing upon their own experiences to facilitate the therapeutic relationship, as well as being honest and transparent in how they experience you and your world.
 • Empathic Understanding means that your counsellor will be seeking to discover and deeply understand how you experience the world. They can then reflect this back to help you gain a greater understanding of yourself, others and your circumstances.

Sometimes we all wish there was a magic wand to instantly make things better. While at the same time we know that this isn't a particularly realistic expectation. A person-centred counsellor will treat you as the expert on yourself and your life, and respect you and your ability to actualise when given the supportive environment of counselling. They will encourage you to decided what issues you want to bring to the session and no matter what you do choose to bring, they will not judge you. This allows a relationship of trust to develop so that you can feel free to disclose whatever is troubling you.

A person-centred counsellor can't just give you the answers, instead they help you explore your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, behaviour and worldview, to increase your self-awareness, help you work through your issues, build self-confidence, appreciate the options open to you and achieve greater independence. By helping you find your own answers, the solutions you come up with are more likely to be helpful in the long-term. Eventually this will lead you to greater autonomy and reliance on your own abilities, so that you can cope not only with current problems, but also with future issues as they arise.

Question 11

What are your qualifications?

Accepted Answer

My academic qualifications include CPCAB Level 5 Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling, Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling and a Post Graduate Diploma from the Royal Northern College of Music. 
I engage in continuous professional development and additional training to ensure my practice is up to date and relevant. Recent courses have included Anxiety, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Eating Disorders, Group Facilitation, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Self-harm, Sexual Abuse and The Teenage Brain.

Question 12

Are you a member of a Professional Body?

Accepted Answer

I am a Registered Member (397273) of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). I practice within their Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions and as such I am subject to their complaints procedure. I undertake monthly clinical supervision in line with BACP requirements. More information can be found at www.bacp.co.uk()

Question 13

Do you have insurance?

Accepted Answer

I hold Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance through Hiscox.

Question 14

What is your Privacy Policy?

Accepted Answer

I am registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) under Ref C1333709. 
To view my registration details, please click here.(https://ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/Entry/ZB541492)

This is in line with regulations for businesses which process personal or contact information and complies with the 2018 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

My client privacy policy can be found by clicking here.(https://www.ellenvintner.org/client-privacy-policy)

My website privacy policy can be found by clicking on the link at the bottom of each page of this website, or by clicking here.(https://www.ellenvintner.org/website-privacy-policy)