Appointments – what to expect when you come for counselling, psychological therapies or coaching

Whether you’re an individual client or part of a couple or family seeking support, you can refer yourself directly to our services and we can usually see you for your first appointment within 7 days. Our wide range of therapy and coaching options and our experienced and highly trained practitioners allow us to tailor our services to meet your individual requirements so you get the support you need.

Booking an appointment at our Edinburgh locations

If you’d like to make an appointment with one of our psychologists, counsellor / psychotherapists, CBT therapists or coaches the first step is to give us a call, email us or use our quick enquiry form to get in touch. We’ll ask you what you’re looking for and can help find the right practitioner for you. Once you’ve booked, we’ll send you an email confirming the appointment for an initial session and details of how to find us, plus further information about our locations.

We are happy to accept referrals from health or medical professionals, organisations, businesses or voluntary agencies. Please contact us if you wish to discuss our services before making a referral to us.

The initial session

All new clients are asked to attend a ‘no ties’ initial session with the psychologist, counsellor / psychotherapist or CBT therapist they prefer, or the person who is best suited to their needs/wishes (charged at the usual rate). This session provides a chance to talk through particular issues and concerns and to decide the best way forward. During the session, the practitioner will explain how it all works and answer any questions your may have. It is quite usual for clients to feel a bit uncomfortable about coming to see a counsellor, psychologist or CBT therapist for the first time. All our practitioners are experienced professionals and are used to putting people at ease.

Although the majority of clients will go on to work with the practitioner they meet for their initial session, we believe finding the right person is vital. Therefore on occasion, we might suggest you meet with a different practitioner if we feel you may be better suited to his / her style of working. Similarly, if you feel your practitioner isn’t the one for you, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

The ‘contract’

Once you are happy to proceed, we will usually ask you to agree a ‘contract’ with your practitioner. This is not a legally binding document, but one designed to set out the terms and expectations of the therapy or coaching you are undertaking. The contract usually includes things such as the fee you will pay, the number of sessions you have agreed to start with and issues of confidentiality.

Of course, you may stop coming at any time – you are not bound by the contract. However we would ask that you give us the required notice and also suggest you attend for a final session. This is because sometimes therapy or coaching can be difficult and it is good to end it in the most helpful way possible.

Our cancellations policy

In common with most professional services, our practitioners are self-employed and therefore need to manage their diaries efficiently. We therefore operate a strict cancellations policy requiring all clients to give us a minimum of two business days’ (48 hours) notice of any cancelled session. The full fee is payable if sufficient notice is not given.

Further information

We would also be delighted to answer any questions you may have so please feel free to contact us.