What Happens in the First Counselling Session?
The first session is usually the one people worry about most. Here's a clear, honest account of what actually happens — no ambiguity, no counsellor-speak.
Read more →Thoughts on counselling & mental health
Honest, jargon-free writing on what counselling is actually like, how it helps, and why asking for support is one of the most sensible things you can do. Written by David Lewis, person-centred counsellor in Anfield, Liverpool.
Getting Started
How Do I Choose the Right Counsellor?
The number of counsellors out there is genuinely bewildering. Here's what actually matters when you're trying to find someone — and what you can be less worried about.
Read more →What to Expect From Your First Counselling Session in Liverpool
The first session is often the one people worry about most. Will I be judged? What will I have to say? Do I have to cry? Here's what actually happens — and what definitely doesn't.
Read more →Do I Need to Be in Crisis to Go to Counselling?
A lot of people wait until things get really bad before they try counselling. Here's an honest look at why that happens — and why you don't have to wait.
Read more →How Counselling Works
What Does a Counsellor Actually Do?
It's probably not what you'd expect. This is a straightforward account of what actually happens in a counselling session — and what definitely doesn't.
Read more →What Should You Talk About in Counselling?
There's no set agenda and no right answer. People are often surprised by how much freedom there is in what to bring to a session — and how that's actually the point.
Read more →Do I Have to Talk About My Past in Counselling?
No — and this is one of the things people most often assume without realising it. You set the agenda. The past only comes up if you bring it there.
Read more →Can Counselling Make You Feel Worse Before Better?
Yes, sometimes. And it's more common than most people realise going in. Here's what that actually means — and why it doesn't mean something's gone wrong.
Read more →Why Do I Feel Worse After Counselling?
Leaving a session feeling drained or unsettled doesn't mean it's not working. It's more common than you'd think — and there's a straightforward reason for it.
Read more →Is Online Counselling as Good as Face-to-Face? An Honest Look
The short answer: for most people, yes. The longer answer involves understanding why — and being honest about the situations where in-person might serve you better.
Read more →Men's Mental Health: Why It's Harder to Ask for Help (And Why That's Okay)
Most men don't walk into a counselling room because they woke up one morning and thought "I fancy talking about my feelings." It's rarely that simple. Here's a more honest account of what I actually see.
Read more →Common Questions
What Is Counselling?
A plain-English explanation of what counselling actually is, what happens in a session, and how it differs from therapy. No jargon.
Read more →Is Counselling Worth It?
An honest answer rather than a reassuring one. What counselling can and can't do, who tends to find it most useful, and how to weigh up the cost.
Read more →Does Counselling Actually Work?
What the evidence says, what "working" actually means in practice, and why the relationship between client and counsellor matters more than most people realise.
Read more →How Many Counselling Sessions Will I Need?
There's no fixed answer — but there are things that genuinely affect the number. Here's an honest guide to how it works in practice.
Read more →How Much Does Counselling Cost in the UK?
What private counselling costs, what affects the price, reduced-fee options, and what to do if cost is a genuine barrier.
Read more →Can I Get Counselling on the NHS?
Yes — but it helps to understand what NHS Talking Therapies actually offers, what the waiting time picture looks like, and what your options are if you can't wait.
Read more →Grief After a Relationship Breakdown
It is not just losing a person. It is losing a future, a version of yourself, a sense of where life was going. Why relationship grief is real grief — and why pride gets in the way.
Read more →How Do I Find a Counsellor in Liverpool?
Where to search, what registration means, how much it costs, and north Liverpool options including Anfield, Walton and Kirkdale.
Read more →Why Do I Feel Anxious for No Reason?
Anxiety that seems to come from nowhere is more common than most people realise. Here's what's actually happening when anxiety strikes without an obvious cause.
Read more →How Do I Know If I Have Anxiety?
Not sure whether what you're experiencing is actually anxiety? Here's what it looks like in practice — and how to tell if it's worth taking seriously.
Read more →Why You Can't Just Snap Out of Depression
If someone's told you to just snap out of it — or you've said it to yourself — this is worth reading. Depression doesn't work that way, and understanding why matters.
Read more →Why Do I Get So Angry?
Anger is the one emotion men are allowed to feel — and then judged for feeling. Here's what's really going on underneath it, and why it usually isn't really about anger at all.
Read more →Why Setting Boundaries Feels So Hard
Most of us were never actually taught to set boundaries — we were taught to be helpful, available, and agreeable. Here's why that makes it so difficult, and what changes things.
Read more →Why Does Family Estrangement Hurt So Much?
There is pain on both sides of estrangement — the person who cut contact and the one left behind. On the anger, the sadness underneath it, and the pride that stops either side looking honestly at what they're actually carrying.
Read more →Losing Yourself to People Pleasing
If you've spent so long being what everyone else needs that you've forgotten who you actually are — this one's for you. On masks, compassion fatigue, and what counselling actually offers.
Read more →Why Does Needing Help Feel Like Failure?
If you give everything to everyone and feel completely alone, you are not broken. On the shame of needing help, what happens when your sense of worth is built around being useful, and why accepting support can feel harder than carrying it alone.
Read more →I Know I Should Get Help But I Keep Putting It Off
Most people who end up in counselling describe a long period of knowing they should do something about it and not quite getting there. Here's why that happens.
Read more →What's the Difference Between a Counsellor and a Therapist?
The terms are used interchangeably, but they don't mean exactly the same thing. Here's the honest version of what distinguishes them — and what matters more than either label.
Read more →Ready to take the first step?
If something you've read here resonates, I offer a free 20-minute conversation — no obligation, no pressure. Just a chance to talk and see if working together feels right.
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