For some people phone counselling is a necessity – they may feel unable to travel, attend crowded place or want to show themselves. For others, it may be a convenient way of starting the therapy during the coronavirus epidemic with possibilities of having a call from a car, walk or a confidential space that they will be able to carve-out from the home that they share. If you are in the latter category, your counsellor may ask you to start face to face meetings when safe to do so or at least have a face to face meeting every once in a while.

How does phone counselling work?

In many ways, phone counselling is similar to face to face or online therapy. Each session lasts 50 minutes, and in the initial appointment, your counsellor will agree with you your goals for the treatment. Talking through issues that brought you to the therapy, you will agree on the potential length of the therapy ranging from short term usually between 6 and 12 sessions to long term sometimes lasting even a few years. It is crucial that you select a therapist that you get on well; you like their tone of voice and find open to hearing their words. Even though in counselling, it is important to work through difficulties with your therapist if they appear, we should not start in this place. It is a common practice that clients check a few therapists before committing to working with one, especially if what they seek is long term treatment.

Therapists listed below are offering phone counselling, and you can contact them directly to arrange the first appointment. They will inform you about their fees and, during the initial meeting, decide if they have clinical competences to work with you. Similarly to face to face treatments, your counsellor will charge you for missed sessions and finish on time even if you are late.