FAQs & Fees

This is basically an intro chat, usually held on Zoom. It’s an opportunity to tell me more about your present situation, challenges and goals, and to ask me any questions. I’d recommend allowing about 45 minutes.

The Consultation is free of charge and there’s no obligation to continue beyond this point. You don’t need to bring anything or prepare in any way, though you might want to jot down a few notes beforehand about what you want to mention or ask.

Note: the Initial Consultation is not the same as a free trial session and we would not be starting the actual ‘work’ here.

If there seems to be a good fit for working together, we can then design the framework of the therapy/coaching relationship and set up the first session.

My standard session length is 1 hour. Some clients prefer 1.5 hour sessions if they need more time to feel calm and connected before getting in to the deeper work or focused actions.

Longer, more intensive sessions and processes may be available by arrangement.

Sessions are mostly held on a weekly basis. I’d especially recommend this when we get started, to help you build more momentum and ease with the process.

Sometimes clients move to a fortnightly (bi-weekly) or even monthly cadence after a while. This option depends on being able to create a ‘time-share’ in my schedule, so may call for some extra flexibility. Occasionally, it’s possible to start on a fortnightly schedule if you already have a good foundation of similar work, or for budget reasons, and/or because that’s the only space available at the time.

I also have a few longer-standing clients who ask for ad hoc sessions whenever they feel the need and I have a space. This can be a good way for you to check in with this work from time-to-time as ‘self-maintenance’. It’s also an ideal option if you’re dealing with a new question or specific challenge and would benefit from extra support (including consultation for coaches and therapists).

To meet high client demand in the most fair and sustainable way, I allocate most clients a regular slot — the same day and time each week (or less frequently).

I’ve found this works better than having a calendar ‘open house’ where clients can book their own times. There are only a few slots available each day, and many of my clients have restricted availability, due to global time-zone differences, work routines and childcare priorities. I can accommodate all of that more easily by having a regular schedule, and then it hopefully feels less like musical chairs!

Of course I also try to be flexible if a regular client wants to move a session occasionally. Those wanting ad hoc sessions can be ‘on standby’ for any spaces that emerge, e.g. if a regular client is on holiday.

Session times are requested and confirmed by email, WhatsApp or during one of our sessions.

I don’t ask for a minimum commitment, but I’d suggest you have at least 3 or 4 sessions initially. This gives us a reasonable amount of time to explore issues, identify patterns (and start to embed new ones) and review progress.

It’s always difficult to estimate the number of sessions you will ‘need’, but here are a few different factors and client cases to consider.

My therapy-oriented clients tend to have weekly sessions over a longer period of time: it could be several months or more, depending on the intensity/complexity of challenge they’re bringing, and the degree of ‘completeness’ they’re wanting.

Some of them see our sessions as a valuable ongoing resource: a way to receive timely support/mentoring in their high-pressure life and work; or as deeper exploration into their fuller potential, for personal or spiritual growth. I have a few clients that have stayed with me for over four years on this basis.  

At the other end of the scale, there are clients who are looking for more coaching-oriented support with a specific issue or recent life situation. They tend to see me for fewer (e.g. 5-10) sessions, perhaps returning for occasional top-ups.

In the end it depends on your objectives and also on the pace that your inner system feels comfortable with. For IFS work especially, we can only go as fast as the most cautious or resistant part of you allows. ‘Protector’ parts can take time to build trust, especially if they’re guarding past trauma that’s still held in the system. Being patient with those parts will actually help us to move more quickly.  

For all these reasons, I don’t like to predict or prescribe how many sessions you’ll need. But we can discuss all of this in the Initial Consultation, building a clearer sense of your own priorities, end goals, process goals, and timeline scenarios.

If you have particular time or budget constraints, it’s often possible to work from the other direction: to say “Let’s get as far as we can” in e.g. 10 sessions or 20 sessions. Even if we can’t resolve everything in that time, we can make some inroads. And we can focus on finding some earlier-stage improvements and new resources for you to take forward.  

As many of my clients are based in different parts of the UK or the wider world, sessions are usually online, using Zoom. These days, even the local clients sometimes prefer Zoom for extra convenience.

I can also offer in-person therapy/coaching sessions at my home in Brighton & Hove (South England), with free parking on site or easily accessible bus routes.

Other locations can occasionally be arranged if my schedule allows and/or if travel surcharge is factored in.

I charge GBP £85 for 1 hour coaching/therapy sessions, or GBP £110 for 1.5 hours.

Discounts of 10% are available with advance payment for multiple (10+) sessions.

I try to keep my fees consistent and reasonable for all clients, so I don’t offer a sliding scale option or pro bono sessions.

If you represent a business / organisation and would like to discuss coaching as a way to support your employees’ growth and wellbeing or their experience of your organisational change process, please contact me for more details. I would be happy to provide a proposal and a quote.

Payments are usually made by BACS transfer (or PayPal) and need to be settled in advance of sessions. I recommend Wise (https://wise.com/) or similar for international payments.

I work with self-pay clients only; I don’t take payment directly from health insurance companies. You might be eligible for reimbursement if your provider has more flexible coverage, e.g. for coaching, broader therapy or wellbeing services, or if your employer offers a similar fund. Please note that I am not registered with BACP, UKCP or similar bodies for clinical mental health work.

I am also happy to provide a regular invoice or receipt if you’re able to claim this work as a tax deductible expense.

Payment is always to be made in advance of sessions — either for one session at a time, by monthly payment, or by a discounted set of 10 sessions.

If you need to cancel or reschedule a session, please do so at least 48 hours in advance or you will be liable for the full payment.

I’m quite likely to suggest ways for you to practise and deepen the work in between sessions. Life coaching processes often make use of reflective written exercises to complete on your own. But for IFS therapy, this kind of task-focused homework can just strengthen the analytical, perfectionist or procrastinating parts of us! Instead, we want to make the practice as ‘in the moment’ and ‘real life applicable’ as possible, so that you’re gradually building more self-awareness, self-connection and Self-leadership on a day-to-day basis. That is the most important success measure: whether you’re able to integrate the work for when it’s most needed ‘out there’ in life and work.

It can be useful to spend a bit of time before a session considering any current issues you would like to discuss, as well as progress made or challenges faced since the previous session. But no pressure. You’re always welcome to ‘come as you are’ – and then we can gradually find some more awareness and focus once you’ve landed in the session.

Some people find it helpful to bring pen and paper to their sessions so they can jot down any extra-important insights and agreed actions. But again, it’s not ideal if those diligent note-taking parts of you get too involved, pulling you into cognitive effort at the expense of staying more present, open and embodied… So you might need to experiment to find the right balance.

If possible, it’s a good idea to allow a bit of quiet, reflective time immediately after the session so you can record any key insights or integrate the experience more fully. But if you need to transition quickly to another meeting or task, that’s fine too. We’ll make sure we ‘close the space’ in a way that already feels grounded, integrated and prepared for whatever is next.